The Foundation for Joy

Growing up in Cleveland, the daughter of a single mom and the youngest of three siblings, Joy Hart had no idea where life would take her. She had a strong and big family — her mother was one of nine children, and there were always aunts and uncles and cousins around. She was especially close to her grandparents and spent a lot of time with them.

She attended an all-girls Catholic high school, and after graduation she chose to join the Air Force. “I was ready to get out from under my mom’s house of rules, but I was scared out of my mind. Eighteen years old and transitioning across the country. I didn’t think I could make it.” She landed in Las Vegas, and what began with trepidation became a defining experience of her life.

She started out in human resources, and fortuitously, she was assigned to a unit under the supervision of a woman named Lana Henderson. “She pushed me to do things I didn’t think I could do, encouraged me, lectured me, nurtured me. She carried me through.” Joy began to recognize the traits in Henderson that she wanted to strengthen in herself. To this day, Joy and Henderson keep in touch.

“The military became my new family, and I had this new shared experience with people from all over the world. It’s a unique situation only enjoyed by those in the service.” She went on to train in physical therapy, and after six years in the Air Force, she entered civilian life and continued her career in health care.

Today, Joy is the executive director of The Sky Bridge at Town Center in Largo, Maryland, an upscale senior living community just outside Washington, D.C. In her role, she manages a large community that includes active adults, independent living, assisted living, and memory care. She has two grown children and three grandchildren and is centered in her Christian faith.

Her work at The Sky Bridge is much like her experience when she first joined the military. “People come from various walks of life in various mindsets. Some come willingly, looking forward to living in a new place, meeting new people, having new experiences. Some have large families, others small. Some have lost a spouse, and they’re lonely and sad. Some are frustrated, and nothing seems to go right for them. I love that transformation that occurs once they’ve acclimated. We just love on them all, and you see that light bulb that just switches on. It’s like a flower that’s blossoming. That makes all of the challenges worth it.”

She says she is better for the team she’s built around her. Everyone plays a part, and every part is important. “We lift each other, carry each other from time to time, hold each other accountable,” she says, echoing Lana Henderson. “What's most important to us is changing lives.”

“My time in the Air Force was the foundation for all things that came after that,” says Joy. “It was a great opportunity to start life, begin a career, learn and grow, and spread my wings," she adds, a gleam in her eye at the pun.