Carol Levine Honored as 2009 Purpose Prize Fellow

One of Only 47 Innovators Recognized Nationally for Extraordinary Contribution in “Encore Career”

Release Date: 11.02.2009
Contact: rdeluna@uhfnyc.org
Contact Phone: 212 494 0733

Carol Levine, director of the Families and Health Care Project at United Hospital Fund, has been named a 2009 Purpose Prize fellow, an honor for social entrepreneurs over 60 who are using their experience and passion to take on society’s biggest challenges. Now in its fourth year, the program describes itself as “the nation’s only large-scale investment in social innovators in the second half of life.”

Ms. Levine was recognized for advancing public and professional understanding of the crucial role of family caregivers in the health care system and stimulating the development of sound policies and programs that support their needs. She will join 46 other Purpose Prize Fellows at a Summit on Innovation from October 31 to November 1 at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business’ Center on Social Innovation, one of the world’s leading academic centers focused on social entrepreneurship.

“Carol’s leadership on family caregiving is important not just to the United Hospital Fund, but to all of New York City and New York State—and beyond,” said Jim Tallon, president of United Hospital Fund. “The Purpose Prize is highly sought after, and candidates come from a remarkably diverse field of interests, not just health policy. So Carol’s selection is all the more impressive. And well deserved.”

“I’m flattered to be included among the list of honorees,” said Carol Levine. “I’m especially appreciative that this award may help draw attention to the enormous challenges currently facing family caregivers and our health care system. Even more than the recognition that comes with the Purpose Prize, I will be most gratified if it helps even one more family caregiver or health care provider to learn about the resources that are available on our www.nextstepincare.org website.”

The Purpose Prize is a program of the Encore Careers campaign (www.encore.org), which aims to engage millions of boomers in encore careers combining social impact, personal meaning, and continued income in the second half of life. The goal: produce a windfall of human talent to solve society’s greatest problems, from education to the environment, health care to homelessness.

About the United Hospital Fund: The United Hospital Fund is a health services research and philanthropic organization whose mission is to shape positive change in health care for the people of New York.

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