Project Background
The inception of Around Town DC stems from a common issue: older adults don’t know about the programs and services available to them.
This problem is especially true in the upper North West quadrant of Washington, DC and neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park, because no brick and mortar senior wellness center serves as a central location for neighbors to get information.
In June 2018, the DC Office on Aging granted funding to Iona Senior Services to address this ongoing challenge and build a website platform to help older adults in Wards 2 and 3 find activities.
Since then, Iona has:
- Surveyed more than 500 older adults who live in these neighborhoods on their interests related to wellness programming.
- Led two community forums with Village leaders, neighbors, and other key figures knowledgeable about the aging services landscape in DC.
- Met with staff at libraries, congregations, continuing education sites, and other locations to discuss the project and identify different programs open to older adults in the area.
Around Town DC launched in January 2019. On this site, you’ll find events, programs, and even some online tools primarily related to wellness, fitness, and recreation. Most programs take place in Northwest neighborhoods of DC to help address the lack of senior wellness center.
Around Town DC was also built to be agile. If you have suggestions for programs or events to include, please let us know by contacting community@iona.org.