My husband had an incredible job opportunity in Arizona, so I gave up the business I had created doing guidebooks in California wine country, and we moved. I wound up at the University of Arizona, designing new business education programs. After 6 years, my program moved out of Phoenix – the perfect time for me to transition deeper into the non-profit world, a longtime goal of mine.
I learned about Experience Matters, which matches older adults with social sector opportunities. In a 6-month fellowship, run jointly with Encore.org, I was matched with the Halle Foundation and tasked with seeing if there was a need for professional development and career training for at-risk women in our community. I love startups, so this was right up my alley. I created a plan for a new organization, called “Live and Learn” within the Arizona Foundation for Women, and I became the Program Director. It is fascinating, and very different for me and, at times, heartbreaking.
The women we serve live in extreme poverty, which cuts across every ethnic group – Caucasian, Latina, Somali, to African American. Some suffer from homelessness, domestic violence or substance abuse. They are mostly single mothers and 95% have only a high school diploma, a requirement of our program. We sponsor them for training, and want to be sure that, over time, there is a reasonable expectation they can acquire the education and jobs to ultimately achieve a livable wage.
When you have worked in the corporate world, there can come a time when you have both the luxury and the desire to give back. You don’t do this if you’re wholly driven by salary first. I could not have done this 20 years ago, but I can now. Personally, it’s been an amazing experience. The best part is seeing someone succeed, graduate, find a job and keep it, and seeing women’s confidence grow and lives of entire families change.