D - Army Distaff

As a non-profit, we rely on your giving to help provide affordable, safe, secure community living for more than 250 men and women after a lifetime of serving our nation.

Sustain our community through donations to our Building and Community Fund.

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Samples of bequest language

Unrestricted bequest
“I give (_______ dollars, a specific asset or ___ percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to the ADF. Inc., the charitable, tax-exempt organization located at 6200 Oregon Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., for its general purposes.”

Bequest for a specific purpose
“I give (_______ dollars, a specific asset or ___ percent of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate) to the ADF. Inc., the charitable, tax-exempt organization located at 6200 Oregon Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., to be used for the following purpose: (state the purpose).

NOTE: If you wish to restrict your bequest to a specific purpose or program at the ADF, please contact jmichels@armydistaff.org in advance to make sure the language you use will accomplish your wishes and that it aligns with the ADF’s mission.

TAX Identification Number
The ADF EIN number is 53-0246852. Please contact us for a copy of our tax-exempt letter or for additional information to help you ascertain opportunities to support our mission with a planned gift.

With advances in medicine and senior care services over the past 60 years, we have prided ourselves on being at the forefront of change and moving swiftly to incorporate new technologies, best practices, and more expansive care models. The original view of our founders to provide a stable, secure, and safe community where residents could remain until the end of their days is still at the organization’s core. But, how one thinks about the aging community and how we define comprehensive services have evolved to a new environment.

Those of us who are professional caregivers to the elderly recognize a much more comprehensive set of health and wellness requirements that should be made available. To be at the forefront of services, we have always expanded and modified our facilities, incorporated new programs and services, and, just as important, added the highest quality professional staff. Today, our Knollwood facility is fully prepared to accommodate every stage of aging. Over the years, we have added assisted living, advanced nursing, rehabilitation, long-term care, and memory care services, coupled with whole person wellness services, to ensure all residents have access to the best care available. Operating as a full Life Plan community, we offer a complete continuum of care so that residents can age in place under one roof—and always regardless of their financial status.

From the day the facility opened, a number of residents lacked the financial means to support themselves through the end of their lives. Our ADF founders recognized this need and knew they would have to create an assistance fund for these residents. They also anticipated the necessity of a permanent fund to continue providing support in the future. Accordingly, they established a formal Financial Assistance Fund (FAF) shortly after the facility opened in 1962.

True to our founders’ expectation, the need for assistance has indeed grown over time as an ever-increasing number of people have outlived their retirement savings. In addition, over the years, we have expanded resident services and activities. For almost 60 years, our FAF has provided partial to full financial assistance for approximately 10% of our residents. No resident has ever been denied support nor has an application to enter ever been denied for financial reasons. All residents receive the same quality care and services, and to protect every resident’s dignity, all FAF support remains confidential.

Donor contributions to the Caring for Life Program ensure we remain leaders in the senior care industry by equipping us to:

Your support will save deserving men and women from

Donor contributions to the Wellness for Life Program allow us to take full advantage of emerging trends in wellness programs for the elderly so that we can:

In 1989, we revised our admissions criteria to extend residency to family members—and the veterans themselves—of all U.S. Uniformed Services, which include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Public Health Commissioned Corps, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps. When demand for residency increased beyond capacity, we expanded our facility by building additional apartments and enlarging common areas. Today, 300 men and women live at Knollwood.

After World War II and Korea, it became apparent to a small group of Army wives that a large number of widows of U.S. Army servicemen, as well as their mothers, daughters, mothers-in-law, and sisters, were a forgotten group of heroes. These women had devoted their lives to supporting and bolstering the morale of those who were in uniform. Although they may not have had the uniforms, they “served” our nation with pride, foregoing a stable home-life to respond to the ever-changing demands and orders of the military. Playing a vital role in national defense, they sacrificed greatly but were forgotten as they aged.

Recognizing the lack of resources for this vulnerable group of women, two pioneering Army wives garnered worldwide support to call attention to their plight and build a residential facility that would provide security, companionship, and purposeful living for these women as they aged. For most, the new residence would be their first permanent home after a life-time of moving from one base assignment to another. Residents would pay only modest rent and those who lacked resources would be welcomed and supported through private, charitable donations. ADF was established as the non-profit organization to support this population, build the residential facility, and maintain it in the future.

With the strong support of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the personal involvement of First Lady, Mamie Eisenhower, our founders raised funds to purchase land and construct a first-class residential facility. Their efforts produced $38 million (in today’s dollars) to purchase 16 acres in Northwest Washington, DC and build Army Distaff Hall, renamed Knollwood, after the historic home, Knoll House, which is still located on the property.

Knollwood was the first residential facility of its kind in our nation. While ‘old soldiers’ homes’ existed to care for elderly war veterans, nothing existed to provide housing and care for their family members. Fifteen women moved in on opening day in January 1962, a landmark event celebrated with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony by a prestigious Guest of Honor—Mrs. Lyndon B. (Lady Bird) Johnson. By July 1963, 166 women called it home. President John F. Kennedy furthered our work through important legislation exempting us from real estate taxes and making donations tax-deductible.

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