Last month, I was talking with a ReServist – let’s call her Jane – who had retired from a long and fruitful career in the financial sector. I asked her whether she had an assignment, knowing that several community-based organizations were looking for people who could help them manage their finances. Jane told me that she was about to start teaching English as a Second Language to immigrant youth, this in addition to her weekly visits with grandchildren and kick boxing lessons. How’s that for a career change! It turns out that before she got her MBA, she had majored in Art History and English literature as an undergraduate.

The road map Jane is following isn’t unusual for many ReServists. ReServe was created to help people like her pursue the interests they had to put on hold during their first careers. ReServe is giving them the opportunity to build new resumes that leverage their skills and passions and direct them to work that has real social impact.

Jane’s interest in helping children prepare for adulthood is also not unusual. Many ReServists want to help kids who should go to college but whose parents do not have the life experience or time to help them navigate the college admissions process. That’s one reason why ReServe is hoping to pilot a new initiative called READY (ReServe’s Education, Advancement and Development for Youth) that will train and place ReServists in under-resourced schools to help high-need students make attending college a reality.

What’s more, in response to the growing demand for grant writers and the growing interest of ReServists in using their writing skills, we’re launching the Grant Writing Residency Program that will train retirees to help struggling nonprofits with their development work.

Both initiatives apply ReServe’s winning business model to significant societal problems. Unlike our typical assignments, they will require Reservists to undergo some training and to make a time commitment of 15 hours a week for at least 10 months. And most of the assignments will be located outside of Manhattan.

I’m pretty sure that these ReServists will have a significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged high school youth and on the bottom line of struggling nonprofits. What I don’t know is who of you will choose to have your life changed by taking on these assignments. Think about it and let us know so that when the jobs appear on the Opportunity Board, we’ll have you in mind. To find out more about either of these initiatives, check out the information featured in this newsletter.

Have a great summer.

Mary