GIVING BACK AFTER RETIREMENT

As more than 77 million retiring Americans begin the ‘next chapter” in their lives, many are considering giving back after retirement. As more than 1,000 people relocate into Florida every day (many of whom are retirees) there are lots of opportunities for people to volunteer times and resources to give back to communities. Here are some of the many ways retirees are giving back after retirement. Locally – This is likely the best place tot start giving back after retirement. No matter where you live there are many, many

community organizations which need help. Often, small, local non-profits have very little budget, if any and rely on volunteers who are retired to help them in their mission. At William C Huff Companies, we work with a number of small groups who rely exclusively on donations of time and resources from individuals who believe in what they are doing. Helps Outreach is one such organization. Founded by a retired husband and wife, they provide everything from food and clothing to living arrangements and furnishings for single parents and/or people who have lost jobs and struggle to keep afloat. We often donate items given away by homeowners who are downsizing. Passion – Giving back after retirement should be something you have a passion for. Teachers, for instance, who are passionate about educating, can volunteer to tutor children who fall behind in school, so that they can graduate and possibly move on to a secondary [caption id="attachment_13068" align="alignright" width="554"]

William C Huff gives back to the Florida and New Hampshire community with a number of philanthropic initiatives.[/caption] school. Friends of Foster Children Forever, is one such organization in Naples Florida, that relies on tutors/mentors for helping keep at-risk foster children in school and graduating high school. There always is a demand for committed teachers who are passionate about helping children succeed. Environment – Giving back to our environment after retirement is something that will make a difference to future generations. After committing a lifetime to growing a career, there is often little time to contribute to our environment. With ample time on one’s hands, working with any number of environmental groups is a nice way to give back. There are many local environmental groups in the Naples, Florida area: The Conservancy, Botanical Gardens, and Rookery Bay Foundation are just a few. There are also chapters of much bigger groups, like the Audubon Society, who have local chapters that focus on local environmental concerns.