“Iona Should Be the Third One”: Why Sharon Chooses to Give 

Long before Sharon became an Iona donor, volunteer and Board President, she had a special place in her heart for older adults. 

As a financial advisor in Washington, DC, Sharon worked with many older women. Some were widowed, while others had never married. Many had come to Washington decades earlier, built careers and created independent lives for themselves. 

Over time, Sharon noticed that what some of her clients needed most had little to do with financial planning. 

“They had money, but they were lacking in community,” she remembers. 

So, Sharon made time for them. She took clients to the grocery store, joined them for dinner and listened to their stories. 

“I just loved older people,” she says. 

A friend and fellow book club member, Nancy Banks, noticed that passion. Nancy was serving on Iona’s Board of Directors and encouraged Sharon to learn more about the organization. Before long, Sharon was invited to join the Board herself. 

Her connection to Iona grew quickly, but not because of board meetings or reports. Some of the experiences that affected her most happened while delivering meals. 

At the time, Iona volunteers brought meals to older adults on the weekends. Sharon remembers being nervous on her first delivery route. She had never done anything like it before. 

Then she met the people behind the doors. 

She quickly realized that delivering a meal was about much more than food. For some of the older adults she visited, seeing a volunteer offered an opportunity to talk, laugh and connect with another person. 

“They were dependent not only on the food, but on the contact,” Sharon says. 

One woman in particular has stayed in her memory. During Sharon’s regular visits, the two would often chat. One day, the woman invited Sharon inside to show her photographs of her grandchildren. 

Once inside, Sharon saw that she was struggling to safely maintain her home. Their conversation eventually turned to whether she could continue living independently. 

“I think I’m too frail to be living on my own,” the woman told her. Then she asked a question that Sharon would not forget: “Do you think Iona can help me?” 

Sharon made the referral. 

It was one conversation between two people, but it captured something Sharon was beginning to understand about Iona. Sometimes support starts with a meal. Sometimes it starts with a conversation. What matters is having someone there who cares enough to listen and knows where to turn next. 

As Sharon became more involved with Iona, eventually serving as President of the Board, experiences like these continued to deepen her commitment. 

She remembers standing outside The Phillips Collection during an exhibition featuring artwork by Iona participants. Older adults proudly brought their relatives to see what they had created. 

“My art is in this museum,” Sharon remembers them saying. 

The memory still moves her. 

For Sharon, it was a beautiful reminder that aging well is not simply about having basic needs met. People need opportunities to create, connect, belong and feel proud of themselves. 

“The more programs I learned about, the more amazed I was with the breadth of services that we provide,” she says. 

She was equally impressed by the people behind those services. From her years on the Board, Sharon saw firsthand how deeply Iona’s staff and volunteers care about the people they serve. 

“Everybody that I’ve ever known or interacted with at Iona, either staff or volunteers, is extremely passionate about Iona,” she says. “That’s what you want. You want people to be passionate about the mission.” 

Choosing to Give Meaningfully 

That confidence in Iona inspired Sharon to make the organization a priority in her own charitable giving. Over the years, she has made significant gifts, supported Iona through a multi-year commitment and included Iona in her estate plans. 

Her philosophy about giving is simple: choose the organizations that mean the most to you and support them in a meaningful way. 

Years ago, Sharon heard someone suggest that people often have a few causes that hold a special place in their lives. One might be the school that helped educate them. Another might be their faith community. Then there is room for another organization whose work speaks deeply to their values. 

Sharon immediately thought, “Iona should be the third one.” 

Her decision to include Iona in her estate plans grew from that same sense of commitment. 

“How can I talk to other people about why I think it’s important if I’m not walking the walk?” she says. 

There is another reason Sharon believes supporting Iona matters. The people who need Iona today may be our neighbors, friends, parents or grandparents. Someday, we may need that same community ourselves. 

Years ago, another Iona supporter shared that he donated because he wanted Iona to be there for him in the future. Sharon thought the idea was brilliant. 

“We may very well be a participant,” she says. “So it’s in our best interest to make sure it’s a viable and vibrant organization.” 

Today, Sharon continues to introduce others to Iona. She brings friends to Heart of Caring and other events, hoping they will hear the stories, meet the people and understand why the organization means so much to her. 

And when someone wonders whether their own donation is enough to make a difference, Sharon doesn’t hesitate. 

“Every gift makes a difference,” she says. “Larger gifts are always good, but every gift matters.” 

For Sharon, giving to Iona is ultimately about caring for people and strengthening a community that all of us have a stake in. After years of seeing Iona’s work as a volunteer, Board member, Board President and donor, she remains grateful to be part of it. 

“I just feel so blessed that I can help Iona,” Sharon says, “because they do so many great things.” 

Your gift, no matter the size, can help ensure that older adults and caregivers have somewhere to turn for support, connection and community. Join Sharon and other Iona supporters by making a gift today.