Adele Douglass, 62
Old career: Lobbyist for animal and children's issues
New venture: Animal rights activist
Passion guided Douglass to leave a job at age 57 and raid her retirement account, which was worth more than $80,000. She launched a nonprofit organization (certifiedhumane.org), which certifies that livestock for meat, poultry, and dairy products are treated humanely. "Of course I didn't talk to a financial adviser first before I tapped my retirement money—that would've make sense," she says. "I forged on ahead, and I think I did a really good job." Civic Ventures agrees. In 2007, Douglass was awarded the organization's Purpose Prize , which recognizes social innovators in the second half of life.
