Retirees re-enter the workforce with ReServe

By Diana Britton

Gail Fox can’t remember the last time she was idle. From the time she was a candy striper at a very young age to her current volunteer work at St. Vincent Hospital’s patient pet care, Fox has always been actively involved in her community.

“I’ve been a volunteer since I was in the fifth grade,” she said. “I try to be a good citizen, corny as it sounds.”

But when the 63-year-old retired in 2001 from working in membership development for 35 years, she knew retired life was not for her.

“It’s just something inherent in my nature,” she said. “I always wanted to go back to work.”

And Fox did just that. In September 2006, the Union Square–area resident signed on with ReServe, a non-profit organization that recruits retirees and matches their skills and expertise with jobs in the non-profit and public sectors. Fox found a perfect match doing research and fundraising for the Aging in New York Fund, the philanthropic arm of the city’s Department for the Aging.

“They (ReServe) really really heard me,” she said. “They really made a great match.”

Fox is one of about 265 of New York’s ex-professionals who are finding satisfaction in going back into the workforce through ReServe. For about 10 to 15 hours of work a week, ReServe offers workers a stipend of $10 an hour, which is usually paid by the organization that hires them. ReServe recently signed contracts with New York City agencies and CUNY, opening up even more opportunities for the city’s retirees to put their skills to good use.

“People want to give back,” said Claire Altman, executive director of ReServe. “People want to feel a part of something. That’s the key.”

But that’s not the only reason they’re going back to work.

Mort Sheinman jumped back into the workplace after 40 years as managing editor at Women’s Wear Daily. Why?
“Why keep breathing?” he asked. “It beats sitting in the park and watching my brain turn to oatmeal.”

Sheinman, who is 74, says he never wants to stop learning. “It allows me to keep sharpening my own skills,” he said. “You got to keep your mind active.”

Moving on from his post at WWD, Sheinman now works for the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership writing newsletters and taking photographs. He says the job allows him to interact with people and contribute something to the very neighborhood he’s invested in since he moved to Gramercy more than 30 years ago.

“The work that I’m doing is literally right up my alley,” he said. “I love this neighborhood.”

That’s certainly good news for the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership Business Improvement District and its executive director, Jennifer Brown, who couldn’t be happier with Sheinman’s enthusiasm.

“He’s been fantastic,” she said. “He’s been involved from start to finish.”

Brown, who’s been working with ReServists since December 2006, says retirees offer something special to non-profit organizations like the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership, which has a small staff and can’t afford to hire a full-time employee with Sheinman’s expertise. ReServists are also more flexible with their time than part-time interns, who are often limited by school schedules, Brown says.

Sheinman says he likes the flexibility of being able to set his own hours, and he doesn’t miss those daily deadlines.

“I work when I choose to,” he said. “That’s a great thing.”

The 40 years of professional experience under his belt have been a great benefit to Brown and her staff.

“We do learn a lot from him,” Brown said. “It’s really someone that brings a wealth of experience to the table.”

Now 15 city agencies and 22 CUNY campuses throughout the city will be able to tap into this wealth of knowledge. The first city placement was made in mid-September, and the CUNY contract was effective Oct. 1, according to Altman.

“As seniors and baby boomers begin to retire, this is a great opportunity to give back to the city,” said Christopher Miller, spokesman for the Department for the Aging.

The first of the country’s baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, are coming up on retirement age. New York City census statistics found that New Yorkers live longer than seniors across the country, and that seniors over age 60 accounted for 16.1 percent of the city’s population in 2005. This number is growing, and by 2030, there will be more seniors than school-age children, Miller says.

Miller believes the partnership with ReServe is a great way for the city to benefit from this growing pool of talent and to give baby boomers an outlet for civic engagement.

“I think it’s purely in the demographics,” he said.

Sheinman doesn’t want to be part of the demographic of New Yorkers that move south to Florida for retirement, like many of his friends and family. The thought of doing nothing haunts him.

“I think to myself that I’d go out of my mind,” he said.

Sheinman hopes people like him who aren’t ready to retire will take advantage of what ReServe has to offer.

“Don’t let your mind fall asleep, because it won’t be long before the rest of it follows,” he said.