Dear Seniors,
Happy March! This month allows us to “spring forward” and embrace a new season of growth and renewal. It also marks the end of the first quarter of the year. Please know that the Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL) has been diligently at work on your behalf since the very beginning of this year.
Just last month, we had the opportunity to share that work with the entire District during our annual Performance Oversight Hearing before the Committee on Executive Administration and Labor, chaired by Councilmember Anita Bonds. I was honored to testify about the progress we have made together and the meaningful ways DACL and District residents continue to work hand in hand.
Our focus remains clear: expanding access to vital services, combatting senior isolation, strengthening nutrition and wellness programs, and continuing to show up for older adults in every Ward. District seniors, I want to extend my warmest gratitude to you for consistently showing up, staying engaged, and supporting our efforts. This work would not be possible without you.
It also would not be possible without the dedicated DACL team members who serve you each day. As we embrace this new season, March also brings meaningful opportunities to recognize the professionals and leaders who make our mission possible. This month, we observe National Nutrition Month, National Social Work Month, and Women’s History Month, each reflecting the heart of the work we do at DACL.
In honor of National Nutrition Month, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our incredible Nutrition Services team. Their dedication ensures that seniors across the District have consistent access to healthy, nourishing meals. Because of their hard work and commitment, nearly 900,000 meals were provided to seniors throughout the District in Fiscal Year 2025 alone. That impact represents far more than a number — it reflects care, dignity, and daily support for our older adults.
To further support healthy eating, in addition to our more than 40 community dining sites, we expanded our reach last year by adding two new locations in Ward 7: The Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (3000 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) and Zion Baptist Church of Eastland Gardens (1234 Kenilworth Ave. NE). If you have questions about nutrition services or community dining sites, please call us at 202-724-5626.
March also marks National Social Work Month. DACL is fortunate to have a dedicated team of social workers within our Adult Protective Services (APS) division. APS works to protect vulnerable adults from physical, financial, or emotional abuse, as well as neglect and self-neglect. These team members ensure that residents in need of protection are connected to critical services and support. To report allegations of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation, please call the APS Hotline at 202-541-3950, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Finally, March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the women who continue to blaze trails and create lasting change in every community they serve. We see this leadership reflected in women such as Mayor Muriel Bowser, the only three-term mayor in the District’s history, and pioneers like Virginia Ali, owner of the historic Ben’s Chili Bowl. I also have the privilege of working alongside an all-women senior leadership team at DACL that continues to leave a meaningful mark on the services we provide to seniors across the District. I could not be prouder of their leadership and dedication.
As we step into this new month, I wish you a joyful and fulfilling March.
In Service,
Charon P.W. Hines
Director, Department of Aging and Community Living