May 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 49

PRO
BONO
BOOMERS
the over-55 generation wants to help,
but in new ways.
BY M AU R E E N HA N N A N

ohn Bissell is a marketing strategist with a long and
growing waiting list of organizations who've heard
of his reputation for polished work and bottom-line
results. He captures the details of each fresh project
with a precision honed by decades of experience-and
with the enjoyment of one who has always loved his work.
Every client offers a new puzzle to solve, a set of unique
challenges to conquer, and a chance to spread a message
and engage new supporters.
When Bissell fi nishes the careful work of crafting a
comprehensive new marketing strategy, he picks up the
phone. " Done, " he says matter-of-factly. And then, " Send
me the next one, please. "
Bissell is not an account executive with a blue-chip
marketing firm-though he used to be. He is a volunteer,
eager to share expertise and energy

John Bissell
advises a
nonproﬁt
marketing
team on new
strategies.

with local causes he believes in. And when he calls for
the next assignment, his point of contact is Laura Toscano, a specialist in skills-based volunteering for HandsOn
Greater DC Cares, a nonprofit agency that matches volunteers with needs in the Washington, D.C. area.
Bissell, like millions of his Boomer peers, approaches
volunteering as an extension of his professional life-a
means of giving back to the community while sharing and

46 Parks & Recreation M A Y

2 0 1 2 w w w . N R P A . O R G

sharpening a hard-earned skill set. Even as older adults
redefine traditional notions of retirement-working longer
and often transitioning to " encore careers " -volunteerism
is rising among those 50 and older. It is not, however, the
same brand of volunteerism senior centers have seen in the
past: Tasks like stuffing envelopes, knitting clothes, delivering meals, or staffing reception areas satisfied the needs
of retirees who wished mainly to socialize while serving.
The social aspects of volunteering still matter. However, in
the effort to engage and retain Boomer volunteers, many
program directors are changing their focus to accommodate a more individualized, vocational style of giving back.

The Power of Pro Bono
Boomers are the best-educated generation in American history to hit their 50s. Twenty-eight percent hold
a bachelor's degree, and 45 million of them
boast at least some college education. And
millions have spent their adult lives mastering
and building a business in a trade or craft. Not
only do those between 50 and 65 represent a
wealth of educational and business achievements-their careers have spanned technological changes more rapid and sweeping
than for any generation before them. It's not
surprising that this generation of skilled,
well educated workers seeks opportunities to
make a difference through their professional skills or
through their ability to learn brand-new skills.
Through the Los Angeles Retired Seniors Volunteer
Program (RSVP), a federal Senior Corps program that ran
until this year under L.A.'s Department of Recreation and
Parks, volunteers over 55 offer local nonprofit partners
their time and professionals skills. Kevin Regan, assistant
general manager for the department, says the program
has met three basic needs for the volunteers: " wanting

May 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2012 - Parks & Recreation