History

1924: Episcopal Senior Ministries was incorporated as the Episcopal Church Home. A single family home, donated in April 1924 by Cornelia Jones, became the first residence for older persons, and within a decade, there were five homes and 31 residents.

1958: After 34 years at the Macomb Street and Wisconsin Avenue site, the Episcopal Church Home moved to a new facility added onto an historic Georgetown home given by Mrs, Ella Sevier in memory of her husband's great grandfather. Services were provided at this site for 33 years.

1967: Episcopal Church Home, Friendship, Inc. was formed to develop the Friendship Terrace Retirement Community in Northwest Washington with a long term loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It opened in 1970 and today continues to serve nearly 200 residents.

1995: Episcopal Church Home was renamed Episcopal Senior Ministries. The organization then began to focus on reaching out to seniors throughout the Diocese who prefer to remain in their own homes and communities and to support the development of ministries for and by seniors at the parish and community level. The first of ESM's educational forums and Senior Celebrations were held in 1995.

1996: ESM Cares was started to address the needs of seniors and caregivers. ESM Cares provides personalized in-home assessment, identifies care options, and coordinates support services to help seniors maintain their independence. It also provides information and assistance.

1997: Through a partnership with St. Philip's Chapel in Baden, a transportation service began which provides rides for seniors to medical appointments.

1998: A second transportation partnership with IONA Senior Services in Washington, D.C. began service to help seniors reach shopping areas, services, museums, and cultural events.

1998: Tthe launch of ESM's website expanded outreach capabilities even further.

2000: Christian Communities Group Homes (CCGH), a nonprofit in the District of Columbia with a 20 year history of providing housing for low income seniors, became a subsidiary of Episcopal Senior Ministries. CCGH operates three homes on the Northeast Washington, DC campus of the Washington Center for Aging Services which is owned and operated by the DC Office on Aging. In addition, CCGH provides volunteer assistance to senior neighbors so that they can live safely in their own homes through its Age-in-Place program.

2001: ESM set up a Development office and hired its first Development Director.

2003: ESM held the first Diocesan-wide Renewal of Vows celebration at the Cathedral for Episcopal couples who had been married 40 or more years.

Episcopal Senior Ministries has thrived throughout the years because of its volunteer leadership. Since the beginning, it has been governed by volunteers from Episcopal congregations throughout the Diocese. The ESM Women's Guild, a volunteer organization of dedicated Episcopal women, was present at the organization's beginning, and its members provided assistance to the residents of ESM's homes and served as liaisons with their congregations. They also raised funds which later were dedicated toward transportation services. The Guild voted to disband in 2005. Their legacy of service will long be valued.

2005: ESM signed a covenant with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington which strengthened ESM's leadership role on aging

Today, more than 2000 volunteers, hundreds of contributors, and the staff continue the ministry to seniors in the Diocese of Washington that began in 1924.

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