Steadfast in Our Shared Humanity – A Call to Action from CEO Joon Bang 

Dear friends,  

Two and a half cups of flour, two sticks of butter, three eggs, and four ounces of dried pineapple are just a few of the ingredients in Ms. Taylor’s delicious “Apple-Nut Raisin Muffins” recipe. I first met Ms. Taylor nearly four years ago at our adult day health center that serves elders living with dementia in Congress Heights. As we became friends, I learned that she loved baking, praying for others, and working on her crossword puzzles in the morning with a cup of coffee. When I received a call from her godson two months ago to let me know she had passed away during the night at the age of 93, it broke my heart. Towards the end of our call he said, “Joon, she talked about you and Iona often and had a lot of pride knowing that you were her friend.” I replied, “I have a lot of pride knowing we were friends, too.” 

There are many privileges in the work we get to do at Iona and one of them is the opportunity to walk alongside the people we serve and to learn from them. Ms. Taylor was not only a friend, but one of my many teachers in the Iona community. 

As we look forward to celebrating Iona’s 50th anniversary this year, we are guided by the tailwinds formed by the thousands of supporters, program participants, family caregivers, volunteers, partners, and staff that were and are a part of our community. We remain steadfast in our shared humanity and grounded by the conviction not to lose sight of the needs of our older neighbors who are vulnerable, marginalized, and aging alone, along with the people who are caring for them.     

Last year, I shared that as more than 11,000 people turn 65 every day, we’re expected to see a significant increase in the number of people living with dementia. New studies indicate that the risk of Americans developing dementia after age 55 has doubled from previous estimates, with new reports pointing to one million new cases annually by 2060.  

Iona is the only nonprofit organization in Washington, DC providing comprehensive support for individuals and families impacted by dementia. Our federal grants awarded by the US Administration on Community Living and Congress give us the opportunity to expand our services to meet the needs of our most vulnerable as they age with dementia. 

I recently heard, “that the ultimate moral test of any government is the way it treats three groups of its citizens. First, those in the dawn of life — our children. Second, those in the shadows of life — our needy, our sick, our handicapped. Third, those in the twilight of life — our elderly.”  Iona’s programs help individuals age well and live well, especially those who are in the twilight of life like Ms. Taylor and thousands who are in need of Iona’s services. 

We invite you to share your stories of how Iona’s programs have been of help to you by submitting your experiences here. To find contact information for your elected officials, click here. And, to make a financial contribution in support of Iona’s work, click here. 

With the support from you and partners like the DC Department on Aging and Community Living and The Washington Home, Iona has increased the number of people we serve by over 27% from previous years.