Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center
2023 Chairman’s “State of The Organization”
Greetings Key Stakeholders, Sponsors and Staff of the GNJ Senior Center and Lead Agency!
First and foremost, I am truly blessed to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zion
Community Enterprise that oversees the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency. I am
truly pleased to share with you my prayerful vision for the “State of the Organization” going forward
into 2024 and beyond. With more than four decades of experience, the exemplary quality and
compassionate services of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency is incomparable!
Together, we continue to face several challenges and have had to make several difficult decisions but I
fervently believe that the unique role of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency is
more relevant today than ever. Moreover, I truly believe that our collective efforts will be essential in
ensuring that our seniors are able to comfortably remain in their home, and therefore maintain a
reasonable quality of life for as long as possible by providing a myriad of cognitive, rehabilitative,
social and recreational programs, activities and services made possible by the Genevieve N. Johnson
Senior Center and Lead Agency.
I also firmly believe that the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency owes a great debt
of sincere gratitude to the visionary leadership of the Executive Director of the Genevieve N. Johnson
Senior Center and Lead Agency along with all of the capable staff who have given unselfishly of
themselves through their time, talent and treasure to carry out the mission of the Genevieve N.
Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency. Moreover, the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and
Lead Agency prides itself on serving as a catalyst for change, a clearinghouse for resources, identifier
for programs and the provision of results-oriented linkages and coordination for delivery of services.
Accordingly, the overall goal of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency is to
provide an environment designed to enable families to successfully manage the responsibility of quality
care for an elderly or frail senior family member dealing with memory loss in order that they may be
able to comfortably remain in their home. To be effective the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and
Lead Agency must remain knowledgeable about trends and creative initiatives in senior care support
services and community engagement. The Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency also
firmly believes that its wealth of experience and expertise more than qualifies it to continue to soar!
More recently, over the past two years, several significant accomplishments by the Genevieve N.
Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency, include but are not limited to: (a) successful renewal of the
Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center for a Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) grant
in 2022 and 2023; (b) successful awarding of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center with the Lead
Agency for Ward Four grant by DACL in 2023; (c) successful awarding of a Music Memory Café
grant and “Time-Slips” Storytelling grant in 2022 and renewal of a Music Memory Café grant in 2023
all from the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities (CAH); (d) successful awarding of the Caregivers
Lounge in 2022 and renewal of the Caregivers Lounge in 2023 from The Washington Homes; and (e)
successful awarding of a Bus Transportation for Seniors contract from DACL in 2023. The total
cumulative amounts of grant funds were $1,044,958.
In addition, the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency has initiated a comprehensive
community outreach campaign to enhance its visibility that included: (a) Convening a meeting with
At-Large DC Councilmember Anita Bonds who was the Chair of Senior Programs, (b) Coordination of
an Annual Genevieve N. Johnson Day for the past two years at Zion Baptist Church during which
several proclamations attesting to her contribution to the quality of life for seniors as well as
promotion of affordable housing initiatives for seniors in the District of Columbia, and (c)
Enhancement of a robust Social Media Campaign with the sharing of news and information regarding
a variety of activities, events and programs offered by the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and
Lead Agency.
With the understanding that new challenges have arisen and new social implications exists, new
methodologies for initiatives available to seniors and their caregivers are necessary in order for us to
lay the foundation for the continued success and sustainability of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior
Center and Lead Agency. Over the next few years, under my leadership it is hoped that by working
collaboratively with our stakeholder partners, staff and the community at-large as well as members of
Zion Community Enterprise we anticipate making a great difference in several key areas as follows:
- Continue Expansion and Sustainability of both the Scope and Impact of Programs and Services at
the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency for participating seniors and their
caregivers as well as the community at-large;
- Continue growth of the GNJ Senior Center’s Caregivers Lounge to include funding support from
the Department on Aging and Community Living (DACL) as well as The Washington Homes;
- Expand the visibility and impact of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency to
include seeking additional funding through grants and sponsorship opportunities;
- Move forward with renovation, services and repairs to the Family Life Center;
- Move forward with the Implementation of the affordable senior housing development project to be
known as the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Residences;
-
Implementation of a Capital Improvement Campaign that will enable the Genevieve N. Johnson
Senor Center and Lead Agency to realistically prioritize and ensure funding for long-terms projects;
-
Establishing a “Council of Elders” for the obtainment of resources and financial endowment
growth of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency;
-
Actively seek to significantly improve the professional capacity and resources of the Genevieve N.
Johnson Senior Center an Lead Agency; and
-
Continue to explore alternative revenue opportunities for the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center
and Lead Agency.
As I am often fond to state, there is an African Proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone; but if
you want to go far, go together”. Accordingly, the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency
strives to seek “new and improved” opportunities to further enhance its capacity to ensure that seniors,
their family members and care providers receive services in order for them to be capable of thriving
independently in their own homes and local communities. This charge is in keeping with D.C. Mayor
Bowser’s initiative for an “Age Friendly” D.C. with the stated purpose of making Washington, D.C. a
great city for all people as they continue to gracefully “age in place”. In closing, on behalf of the
Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency, I wish to express my utmost appreciation for
all that you do, both individually and collectively, and I eagerly look forward to “doing more” on behalf
of the Genevieve N. Johnson Senior Center and Lead Agency with your assistance in 2024 and beyond!
Sincerely,
David J. Saunders
Chairman, Board of Directors
Zion Community Enterprise
