Sarah's Circle

Description

Sarah’s Circle is an award-winning provider of affordable housing with services for very low-income senior citizens in Adams Morgan in Ward 1 of Washington, DC. We target individuals age 55 and older experiencing the most severe financial need, offering deeply subsidized housing as well as an overlay of services designed to help them age in place in their own homes.

Key programs are as follows:

• Affordable Housing: Sarah's Circle provides 34 subsidized housing units in a four-story, elevator-equipped apartment building.

• Nutrition: A congregate meal site for the DC Office on Aging, we offer lunch five days per week, breakfast three days per week, and dinner twice per month. Our meals are prepared in accordance with the food pyramid and with the special dietary needs of seniors in mind, including offerings for those on gluten-free, vegetarian, or other special diets. Finally, we facilitate door-to-door delivery service for seniors eligible for free groceries through Bread for the City, ensuring that our residents have stocked kitchens and access to healthy foods when they prepare their own meals, which is crucial for continued independence.

• Health, Wellness, and Exercise: A major goal of this program is to emphasize the importance of preventive care and to help seniors develop a solid understanding of their personal health needs. To accomplish these goals, we offer a weekly wellness clinic including screenings, medication management, group discussions, and disease prevention education. One of our most popular offerings is our thrice-weekly exercise class led by a certified personal trainer with a degree in gerontology and focusing on cardiovascular health, improved coordination and balance, increasing muscle tone, and strength and flexibility. We also offer yoga twice per week and reiki and meditation and movement.

• Educational, Social, and Skills Enhancement: We provide a calendar of activities each month to keep seniors active and engaged. Current offerings include watercolor workshops and a variety of arts and crafts, one-on-one computer training and a full-service computer lab, game days and bingo, a creative writing and poetry workshop, and other special sessions

• Field Trips: We offer the opportunity for our seniors to explore the DC community, regularly visiting local farmers' markets and shopping destinations as well as cultural and civic attractions and events, music and theater performances, and special activities.