Stoddard History

A More Detailed History
Introduction

Southeast Presence
Northwest Presence (Bryant Street)
Northwest Presence (Newton Street)
Special Recognition

Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is an organization that enjoys a rich legacy of excellence and commitment to caring for our residents and their families. Located in the historic Mount Pleasant section of the District of Columbia, the Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is a 164-bed facility offering state-of-the-art, compassionate and high-quality nursing and medical care. With more than 200 dedicated staff, Stoddard is owned and solely managed by the Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation Board of Directors, under the current leadership of Mr. Willie Bowman, Jr. until his death in February 2010. Prior to Mr. Bowman, Mr. John D. Hunter and General Joseph F. H. Cutrona invested their creativity and their strength for more than twenty-five years.

History in Brief

Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation, Inc.

Who is the Stoddard Baptist Home? The Stoddard of today began as a dream for a retirement home for Baptist ministers, their wives and/or their widows. The initial funds came to Stoddard through the heirs of Miss Marie T. Stoddard, a widely known Washington philanthropist of the late nineteenth century. The residents of the first structure were eight elderly persons who entered a location at Hamilton Street and Good Hope Hill in Southeast, Washington. This early period of operation was called "Stoddard Baptist" and was known as the "Southeast" phase of the facility which we know today.

Since 1902, until this final phase of the twentieth century, Stoddard has always been led by men and women of vision who have constantly increased the effort to serve the wider community. After the "Southeast" phase, the Board of Trustees acquired a property at 324 Bryant Street in Northwest, Washington which became known as the "Willard Estate." The leaders of the facility at the time were the Reverend W. D. Jarvis, the Reverend Acquila Sayles, Mrs. Minnie Robinson and Mrs. Susie P. Robb.

During the years on Bryant Street, the Home experienced steady growth and a widening mission of service to the community. For many years during the period of the Bryant Street location, the Board of Trustees was led by the Reverend William H. Jernagin, a pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church and an unflinching spokesman for civil rights. It was during Reverend Jernagin's tenure as Chairman of the Trustees that the Home became a member agency of the original Community Chest of Washington, D.C. The "Bryant Street Period" ended in 1961.
As the needs for the shelter and care of the aging increased in the city, the trustees of Stoddard, under the leadership of the Reverend John L. S. Holloman, began to realize the limitations of the Bryant Street location, but the precipitation factor in the move from Bryant Street was the desired use of that location by the District of Columbia to build the Katie C. Lewis Elementary School. So began the "Newton Street Era."
The "Newton Street Era" continues to this day. The present structure, which also contains a historically designated "mansion", is dominated by a new, modern building dedicated to the comfort and well-being of the citizens of this city. The new structure contains all of the accoutrements and technological resources, which make for felicitous living among the residents. The entire facility is a monument to the vision, the leadership, and the determination of Mr. Hunter and General Cutrona. Their leadership and the unrelenting efforts in the community have brought Stoddard, over the years, to its purpose today -- to provide personal comfort, physical care and a spiritual place for all who seek the services of the Home.
The unbroken chain of leadership from these great visionaries (Mr. Hunter, General Cutrona and Mr. Bowman) now rests in the capable hands of Mr. Binkley J. Garrison, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation.

The History of the Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation, Inc.

Our Historical Path of Success Leads Us to Today

For Stoddard Baptist Home, the decade of the nineties has brought spectacular realization for the dreamers, pioneers and builders who have long labored in the development of a home for the elderly in the Washington, D.C. area. Today, Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is designed, built and maintained as a facility for nursing and medical services and residential care for the elderly. It has resources for caregivers and interested parties, as well as recreational and cultural activities that can be accessed through the wider community. The Stoddard of the twenty-first century began as an idea for a retirement home for Baptist ministers, their wives and widows. The initial funds came from the settlement of a suit brought by the heirs of Miss Marie T. Stoddard, a widely known local philanthropist of the late nineteenth century. About 1890, Miss Stoddard, by the terms in her will, had donated a tract of land in the area of Florida Avenue and Nineteenth Street, Northwest, for the erection of the retirement home.

Southeast Presence

When the District of Columbia appropriated part of the land for street construction and Miss Stoddard’s will specifically forbade the sale of the land; the trustees of the proposed retirement home entered into negotiation with the city and with the Stoddard heirs. A cash settlement, which in reality was a “sale”, was the result of these negotiations. The trustees used the money to purchase a four-acre tract of land with a structure already in place, located at Hamilton Street and Good Hope Hill in Southeast Washington. Thus, began the “Southeast” phase of the Stoddard Baptist Home. In 1902, eight elderly persons came to reside at the Hamilton Street location. Mrs. Laura Queen, a member of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, became the Home’s first superintendent. Through the efforts of the churches, furnishings for the building were acquired and additional acreage was purchased. The first permanent location of the Home was on a ten-acre farm plot and was directed by Mrs. Queen. The Board of Trustees was standardized and its members were:

• Reverend George W. Lee, President
• Reverend Walter H. Brooks, Secretary
• Reverend J. Anderson Tyler
• Reverend Robert Johnson
• Reverend W. P. Gibbons
• Reverend W. J. Howard

In 1914, the Stoddard Baptist Home was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia.

Northwest Presence (Bryant Street)

In 1915 the Home entered into another phase of its growth. During that year, the Home received the “Dillard Estate” land at 324 Bryant Street, N.W. and a larger building specifically designed to meet the purposes of Stoddard was constructed. When the new Home was dedicated at this site on April 15, 1915, Mrs. Minnie Robinson was named superintendent and the Board was enlarged to include the Reverend W. D. Jarvis, Mrs. Susie P. Robb, who became secretary, and the Reverend Aquila Sayles, who served as president. During the years on Bryant Street, the Home experienced steady growth and a widening mission of service to the community. For years, during the period of the Bryant Street location, the Board of Trustees was led by the Reverend William H. Jernagin, the pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, who was an unflinching spokesman for Civil Rights. It was during Reverend Jernagin’s tenure of office that the Home became a member of the original Community Chest of Washington. The Bryant Street era ended in 1961.

Northwest Presence (Newton Street)

As the needs for shelter and care for the aging increased in the city, the trustees of Stoddard, under the leadership of Reverend John L. S. Holloman, began to realize the limitation of the Bryant Street location, but the precipitating factor in the move from Bryant Street was the desired use of that location by the District of Columbia to build the Katie C. Lewis Elementary School. So began the “Newton Street" era. Led by Dr. Holloman, the Board of Trustees purchased the property at 1818 Newton Street, N.W. for a cost of $250,000.00 and retired the mortgage within six years. It was during Dr. Holloman’s presidency that the Endowment Fund was established and at the time of his death the Fund was valued at $125,000. At the Newton Street location the Home accommodated sixty residents. It was operated by a professional social worker, as well as, clerical and maintenance staff under the administration of an Executive Director.

The Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is indeed and in truth a concept that has become a reality. In October of 1986, Stoddard admitted its first nursing home resident. Today, Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is a 164-bed facility offering secure, state-of-the-art, compassionate and high quality nursing and medical care. There are more than 200 dedicated staff members and the annual operating budget of the Home exceeded nine million in 1998. It has established itself as one of the finest and most innovative long-term care facilities in the Washington Metropolitan area, caring for all people regardless of sex, race or religious orientation.

Special Recognition

Among those individuals who have pioneered for Stoddard and have yearned for its success have been those leaders already named. But in these latter days, mention must be made of Reverend R. L. Patterson, Reverend Raymond R. Robinson, Reverend John D. Bussey, Reverend Leamon W. White and Mr. Willie Bowman, Jr. who have been presidents (and newly titled “chairman”) of the Board of Trustees. Mrs. Shelly M. Jackson, Mr. Leon Ferguson, and Dr. Eula Delaine have been executive directors of the Home. The longtime secretaries of the board were the late Mrs. Alma C. Hawkins and Mrs. Lucy M. Gadsden.

Today, as Stoddard moves into its expanding role of services to the Washington Community, the Board is being led by Mr. Binkley J. Garrison, who serves as the Chairman of the Board. Under Mr. Bowman’s leadership (until his passing in February 2010), the Stoddard Board of Directors and Stoddard’s operation has progressed to its present status. The late Mr. Hunter spearheaded the development of the current 164-bed nursing and medical care facility, leading the board through planning, zoning, relocation, construction and start-up phases of the Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home. He was instrumental in providing the technical assistance needed to obtain the Housing and Urban Development mortgage, as well as, recruiting the management company to operate the facility. Under Mr. Hunter’s influence, knowledge and foresight, after twelve years of operation, Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home is self-managed -- making it one of the premiere long-term care facilities owned and solely operated by African Americans. Serving with Mr. Hunter has been Brigadier General Joseph F. H. Cutrona (Ret.), an able and compassionate Catholic layman, who has served as Vice President of the Board for more than twenty years.

Under the leadership of Mr. Willie Bowman, Sycamore Hill Senior Assisted Living (a 14-bed facility) was purchased in August 2001 by Presidential Care, LLC, d.b.a. Stoddard Baptist of Maryland Assisted Living, a subsidiary of Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation. Its sole purpose is to plan and develop the Mitchellville property of 8.9 acres as an intergenerational site by providing:

75 assisted living units
modified adult daycare services

Presidential Care is committed to fulfill the vision of creating an "intergenerational campus" by linking services for older adults, children and the elderly together in a loving, caring and interactive environment. This project is a multi-million dollar venture and will be developed in phases -- beginning with the expansion of the assisted living continuum. The expected timeframe of development is 2011 - 2013.

The Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation Board presently consists of 8 members and 14 advisory committee members. Additionally, the Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home Board consists of 24 members.

Presidential Care, LLC has 12 members of the Board of Directors who also serve on Stoddard's Board.

Overall, all board and advisory committee members represent Washington Metropolitan area Baptist ministers, retirees, professionals, community advocates and constituents, all committed to the philosophy of improving the quality of life for older adults. Mr. Steve Nash serves as the President and CEO.

It is quite possible that Miss Stoddard could not know the true ramifications of her dream, but as Stoddard Baptist Home faces its future, it is a certainty that the hands of the community will join to make real the concept of service, the vision of hope, and the promise of security that the Home continues to represent.

... "Twas Grace than brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home."