Hal Gordon, a Washington, D.C. community organizer, who died last month at 74. Photo couresy of Janice Gordon.

Courtland Milloy has a terrific column in The Washington Post about the encore career of Harold “Hal” J. Gordon, the founder of the Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Community Action Group, who died last month at 74. The organization helped hundreds of poor, homeless and unemployed city residents and operates the largest residential substance abuse facility in the nation’s capital.

As Milloy tells the story:

Gordon had retired from the federal government at 54 thinking that he was going to fish and play poker to his heart’s content. But his soul remained restless, so he began a quest for a new purpose in life.

At the urging of his pastor at the time, Holy Comforter’s Father Raymond Kemp, Gordon and other church members began a Bible study group. Out of their studies came the inspiration to perform community service. Then came a remarkable revelation about what kind of service it should be.

“That’s when the spirit spoke to me and said, ‘If you are looking for something to do, then do something with this man,’” Gordon later recalled.

Gordon created a club for homeless men called Omega-Alpha, to help the men develop a sense of belonging. He organized rallies to get the city to provide more substance abuse treatment and more affordable housing. The organization provides drug treatment for mothers and activities for their children. Men get treatment plans that include anger management and life skills training.

Gordon’s wife, Janice, has stepped into her late husband’s shoes, as her own encore career.

“More and more people are returning from prisons; recidivism is up; the demand for substance abuse treatment is also rising,” she told Milloy. “But Hal never gave up, and neither will we.”