Dear Friend,

In the second half of our lives, we realize that service to others should be a part of how we ROAR forward. Much has been written about how we can share our wisdom, our time, and our donations to nonprofits and their missions. First, identify what you feel a passion for. Is it education, social justice, the environment, climate change, or food insecurity? The need for support in all areas is overwhelming and individuals can make a huge difference.

Ginny Donohue is a great example of someone who followed a path of service that led to extraordinary results. At 51, after working as a CFO in the corporate world, she decided to help kids, particularly homeless kids, find a path into college. She visited local settlement houses, Boys and Girls clubs and community centers in upstate New York to identify kids that might have a chance. This led her to be a founder of On Point for College, a nonprofit that would focus on the effort.

It was an idea based on how she wanted to make a difference and to date she has helped over 8,700 kids go to college! The organization now has 25 employees and a $2.4 million operating budget with support from individuals, government, corporations and foundations. Ginny told me that in midlife she needed to “do something important.” I’d say that she has made a huge impact and fulfilled her need for purpose.

So how can you play your part in helping others?

If you are having difficulty figuring it out, join our next Zoom session, “How to Get Unstuck in Midlife,” scheduled for June 29 at 6 pm ET. Service will be a part of the discussion as well.

You can register here for the session.

For me, it has been serving on multiple nonprofit boards from The Starlight Foundation and Volunteers of America to PACE University and the International Center of Photography, bringing my expertise and contacts to their missions. I give my time and my money to these efforts.

A group of friends and I also started a foundation called Circle of Generosity. Our goal is to grant random acts of kindness to individuals and families in need (see who we have served on CircleofGenerosity.net).

While we have donated to many families who have been affected by natural disasters, this month I took the first humanitarian mission on behalf of Circle of Generosity. I traveled to Poland to help in the Ukrainian refugee community and to identify NGOs that we could work with to help out with local grants. The picture above is with Magda and Anya, two amazing women who I spent the day with as volunteers at the Ukrainian refugee centers in Poznan, Poland. (To read more about my trip, go to ONE MORE THING further down in this newsletter).