Change begins with me!

Logo of the "Change Begins with Me" Campaign of the Case Foundation

It is the new year, and here is a new kind of resolution. The Case Foundation launched "The Change Begins with Me" Campaign and gives you the opportunity to tell the world (in 250 words or less) what role you will take in that change. One lucky participant will win a trip to the Presidential inauguration!

Click here to participate.
Click here to read how others plan to participate.

The Old Man and the Storm

"The Old Man and the Storm," premiering on PBS's Frontline on January 6th, is the story of 82-year-old Herbert Gettridge, as he rebuilds his home of 65 years in the Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina.

At a time when not one of his neighbors has returned, Gettridge, a plasterer and builder, works to rebuild his home so that he can bring his wife home from Wisconsin, where ill health left her to weather the aftermath of the storm with her daughter. The filmmaker follows the larger Gettridge family over a two year period, where the Gettridge's battle post-Katrina politics to get the lights turned on, access healthcare, and make use of federal rebuilding funds.

On KQED:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10 p.m.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 9 p.m.
Check local listings for additional hours.

Volunteer Opportunity: JumpStart...Connect Early

Volunteer as a preschool mentor and make a difference in a young child's life.

• Serve six hours a week. Receive training and a stipend.
• Work with a team of caring adults in a preschool classroom.
• Enjoy the longterm reward of inspiring a child to read.

Join JumpStart, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping low income pre-school children prepare for kindergarten. Research shows that children who a ready for kindergarten show greater overall success in school.

Pre-service training begins on January 8, 2009.

Contact RSVP for more information 415-474-7787. Ask for Barbara.

Purpose Prize Announces 2008 Winners

The Purpose Prize® awards people in their encore careers up to $100,000 for solving the world’s toughest problems. 2008's winners were announced earlier this month. For the first time, the Prize includes encore careerist who serve an international audience.

Six Purpose Prize recipients took home $100,000 to apply to their important work. Winners include a local woman from Berkeley who is reducing the toxins in California's consumer products. Then there is the inventor from North Carolina who built a $28 peanut shelling machine and put it to use in African villages, increasing efficiency and the villages' income. Another supported refugees from war torn regions like Iraq and Somalia. Still others are growing the "green" economy to include Southern black farmers, cutting recidivism rates a Rikers Island, and raising scholarship funds.

And there are still another dozen, Purpose Prize Fellows who received $10,000 each, with incredible stories to tell.

Click here to read about the 2008 Winners and Fellows.

Purpose Prize 2009
Our world has a deep well of unmet social needs. More than just a set of hands, people in the second half of life are devising new, innovative solutions to our greatest challenges. The Purpose Prize® highlights and invests up to $100,000 in social innovators over the age of 60. Winners are leaders in a larger Encore Career movement that allows experienced adults to earn, learn, connect and contribute. Nominations, including self-nominations, accepted until March 5, 2009.

Click here to apply.

Training Available for Volunteer Tutors

Jewish Coalition for Literacy (JCL) offers upcoming trainings for tutors, even if you are not a member of the JCL tutoring team. Excellent opportunity for volunteers who have considered tutoring. To learn more about tutoring and mentoring at a variety of organizations, including JCL, contact RSVP (San Francisco 415-474-7787; Oakland 510-452-0868).

English Language Learner Workshop

If you are currently tutoring students who are English Language Learners, or would like to learn more about the special literacy needs of ELL students, please join us for this interactive and engaging workshop led by JCL reading specialist Joan Green.

Thursday, December 4, 5:45 pm-8 pm
Jewish Federation Building
121 Steuart Street, San Francisco

Kindergarten Workshop

If you are currently tutoring kindergarten students, or would like to learn more about the special literacy needs of kindergarten students, please join JCL for this interesting and useful workshop led by JCL reading specialist Joan Green.

Wednesday, January 28, 5:45 pm-8 pm
Jewish Federation Building
121 Steuart Street, San Francisco

Click here to register for a training.

Click here to learn more about JCL.

Job Opportunity in Civic Engagment: Experience Corps Bay Area

Experience Corps Bay Area Director

Program Background

Experience Corps is a national nonprofit network with programs in 23 cities working to expand the social contributions of older adults and transform the aging of American society into a source of individual and social renewal. In the Bay Area, Experience Corps is sponsored by Aspiranet, and connects 140+ adults 55 and older as mentors and tutors to children at 18 public schools in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael. Research shows that Experience Corps boosts student academic performance, helps schools become more successful, and enhances the well-being of older adults in the process.

Position Description

Seeking an experienced, dynamic, and creative individual to lead our Bay Area project. The Experience Corps Bay Area Director is responsible for fundraising, grant and financial management, program expansion, recruitment, marketing, partnership building, and general oversight of Experience Corps programs and staff across the Bay Area. This position is based in San Francisco but travel between San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael is required, as well as occasional domestic travel to attend national network meetings and conferences.

Qualifications:

• At least five years experience leading and managing a multi-site program
• Proven track record for fundraising and development
• Experience with recruitment and volunteer management
• Ability to work closely with and develop strong relationships with diverse individuals and organizations, including older adults, school administrators, foundations, donors, and program partners
• Ability to develop a shared vision and motivate staff to achieve goals
• Superb verbal and written communication skills
• Strong computer skills, including comfort with web-based data tracking and reporting, Excel for budgeting and data analysis, and Powerpoint for developing presentations
• An entrepreneurial spirit, flexibility, and ability to work productively in a collaborative and rapidly changing environment
• Commitment to producing high-quality work
• Dedication to education and improved services to children
• Knowledge of Bay Area communities and resources
• Valid California Driver’s license, proof of auto insurance and a driving record acceptable to the Agency’s insurance carrier
• Health Clearance
• Fingerprint and Child Abuse Index clearance from the Department of Justice

Duties:

• Lead efforts by the Aspiranet development team to raise growing program budget of $700K+
• Manage multiple grants and prepare reports to funders
• Oversee multi-city effort to recruit members and conduct program evaluations (including data analysis and reporting)
• Utilize a customized online application (salesforce.com) to manage donations, grants, and volunteer in-take processes
• Supervise, support, and provide professional development to key program staff running Experience Corps in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael
• Supervise and support Training Coordinator, who develops and delivers training curriculum to all Bay Area volunteers
• Coordinate annual Bay Area volunteer recognition event
• Promote visibility of ECBA through marketing and media outreach with the assistance of the Experience Corps national office.
• Establish and maintain key collaborative partnerships in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Rafael with school district and/or program partners
• Oversee strategic expansion of Experience Corps throughout the Bay Area
• Participate in EC National sponsored meetings, conferences, and site visits
• Oversee program budget and administrative tasks, including timesheet approvals, payment of invoices and stipends, development of contracts with partners, etc.
• Represent self and Agency in a professional manner
• Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural differences
• Perform additional duties as needed
  

Salary and Benefits

Starting salary is $55,000 - $60,000 based on experience and education. Generous health benefits and vacation package included.

To Apply

Please submit resume, cover letter, and 3 references to enichols@aspiranet.org. Start date for position is early January 2009.

Website for 50+ Entrepreneur

Last month, the U.S. Small Business Administration unveiled a new website geared to the 50-plus entrepreneur, providing useful information, links and resources vital to starting, growing and expanding a small business. The new website features interactive information and links to help 50-plus entrepreneurs consider the benefits and rewards of business ownership, and to help them make informed choices about business ownership. They believe "50-plus entrepreneurs will drive significant new business growth in the coming years.”

The new website offers:

• a self-assessment feature to help the aspiring entrepreneur determine his or her business readiness,
  
• information on borrowing and credit,
  
• and inspirational success stories from baby boomer entrepreneurs.
  

The Small Business Administration notes, "As baby boomers consider career and lifestyle shifts that extend beyond their work careers, tapping into the world of business ownership can allow them to leverage their flexibility, know- how and business acumen to go into business for themselves. Many have already joined the ranks of the nation’s self-employed and small business owners."

Click here to make use of the new website.

Michelle Obama and National Service

In a recent Newsweek Article, Michelle Obama talks about readying herself for the White House and addresses her interest in using her experience with Public Allies to support President-elect Obama's work on national service. The future First Lady says, "How do we use [AmeriCorps], expand upon it, and help use that as a more creative way to defray costs of college of young people and get all Americans engaged. What AmeriCorps showed me, during the time that I worked on it, is that all these resources of young people and not-so-young people, as I call them--because Americorps is not just for young adults but people of all ages -- you can fill a lot of gaps with the help of community-service hours."

To read more about her plans, click here.

Image of Older Women in Film: TTN

"The Image of Older Women in Film"

Thursday, November 20, 6-8 p.m.

The Transition Network (TTN), Monthly Meeting

Join TTN for an evening of film clips and conversation with Janis Plotkin and an exploration of the images of women in film. Examine how films define (or don't define) the way women feel and think about beauty, body, and ourselves.

Janis Plotkin has programmed and produced film festivals for more than 25 years. Following her 21 years as co-founder of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, she joined the staff of the Mill Valley Film Festival where she has been responsible for documentary and world cinema for the past five years. She has taught film at Stanford University and currently teaches as San Francisco State University.

Location: San Francisco Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, San Francisco State Downtown Campus, 835 Market St., 6th floor (in the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Market at Powell.

Cost: $10 for Transition Network and SF OLLI members, $15 for guests.

RSVP: Please respond to jmand99@earthlink.net if you plan to attend.

Who is The Transition Network (TTN)?

TTN provides a national community for women over 50 as they move from their career to whatever is next. TTN helps women discover new opportunities, new perspectives, and new ways to make an impact.

What should Universal National Service Look Like?

October 14th - 16th, 2008
What should universal national service look like? An online discussion
Click here to participate.