An effort to make Duluth a friendlier place for people with dementia will start by assessing businesses and faith communities on the eastern side of town, organizers said on Tuesday. But the initiative, known as Dementia Friendly Duluth, is for the entire city, they said.

“We are, eventually, tackling all of Duluth and some of the components are already across Duluth,” said Mimi Stender, coordinator of the effort for the nonprofit community health agency known as The Victory Fund. “It’s actually happening all over.”

Dementia Friendly Duluth was unveiled during a City Hall news conference at which purple — the color for Alzheimer’s disease — was the predominant color: purple ties, purple scarfs, posters designed in purple and white. It was sparked in the spring with the announcement that Duluth had earned a modest grant from ACT on Alzheimer’s, a statewide collaborative that encourages communities to respond in positive ways to individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s or non-Alzheimer’s dementia.