Purpose Prizes Honor Americans Over Age 60 for Making an Extraordinary Impact in their Encore Careers

Civic Ventures today announced that Stephen Shames, a New York based photojournalist and humanitarian, is a 2010 Purpose Prize Fellow. Shames was recognized as a social entrepreneur over 60 who, in his encore career, is using his experience and passion to make an extraordinary impact on society’s biggest challenges. Now in its fifth year, the six-year, $17 million Purpose Prize program is the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.

Shames was named a Fellow because he founded L.E.A.D Uganda, an educational leadership program that transforms AIDS orphans, former child soldiers, child laborers, and other forgotten children into leaders by giving them the best education and the entrepreneurial skills they need to achieve their dreams and help their communities. L.E.A.D Uganda’s 94 students are “A”  students at the best schools. They are making a difference in their communities.

“Purpose Prize Fellows show what’s possible in our communities – and the world – when experienced adults apply their passion and skill to improve the lives of others.” said Alexandra Céspedes Kent, Director of The Purpose Prize. “Imagine the potential for society if tens of thousands of adults focused their know-how on the social causes they are most passionate about – it’s a tremendous opportunity.”

The 46 Purpose Prize Fellows of 2010 will be honored at the Purpose Prize Summit November 12-14 in Philadelphia. Approximately 400 attendees of the invitation-only event will hear from featured speakers such as W. Wilson Goode Sr. (former mayor of Philadelphia and 2006 Prize winner); writer and cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson (author of Composing a Further Life: The Age of Active Wisdom); civil rights leader and social innovator Robert Moses (founder of The Algebra Project); and bestselling author Martin Seligman (founder of the field of positive psychology).

“I am thrilled and honored to be recognized by the Purpose Prize and Civic Ventures for my work for L.E.A.D Uganda,” said Stephen Shames. “If someone had told me ten years ago I would one day be transforming the lives of children in Africa, I would not have believed it. Using my skills and experience as a photojournalist to help vulnerable kids is very gratifying. It keeps me going and feeling young.”

The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation, is a program of Civic Ventures’ Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of baby boomers in encore careers combining social impact, personal meaning and continued income in the second half of life.