https://youtu.be/ILD6lZmz0HE Food doesn’t just nourish us — it connects us. Across cultures, perspectives and generations, preparing and sharing meals is a powerful way to strengthen bonds and keep traditions alive. This holiday season, join CoGenerate for an...
Purpose Prize
The Latest from CoGenerate
An end-of-year message from our Co-CEOs: Help us double down on cogeneration
Of all the things that divide us, we see intergenerational connection as the ultimate “short bridge,” in the words of UC Berkeley professor john a. powell. Crossing it brings opportunities to transcend the more difficult divides of race, culture and politics. In the...
In Alaskan Villages, Keeping Musical Traditions Alive Across Generations
We’re partnering with The Eisner Foundation on a new program called Music Across Generations, which explores and celebrates how music brings generations together to bridge divides, create connection, and strengthen communities. This Q&A series shines a light on...
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James Conroy
Purpose Prize Fellow 2007
Matching older volunteers with nonprofits in the Jesuit spirit of service.
Jim Conroy was a Jesuit priest in Wernersville, Pennsylvania, when a recent retiree expressed interest in participating in the community service experiences that the church had provided for his son. Conroy recognized an opportunity to connect retirees with nonprofit organizations working to address the concerns of low-income people. Along with another, now-deceased, priest, Conroy launched the Ignatian Volunteer Corps in 1995. The program integrates Jesuit principles of service, reflection, and education by developing partnerships with community nonprofit organizations and working together to ensure volunteers over 50 years old the opportunity to serve the poor while having a meaningful learning and life experience. In turn, volunteers commit to a consistent, dependable schedule to build strong bridges with the people being served and deliver high-quality service. Today more than 250 Ignatian Volunteer Corps members in 12 regional programs nationwide provide more than 176,000 hours of service, valued at almost $3 million annually, and four of five volunteers continue from year to year.