Library, Aging Best partner; serve 30 seniors affordable meals in Osage | The Locally Times
Library, Aging Best partner; serve 30 seniors affordable meals in Osage
The Osage County Library partnered with Aging Best to provide affordable meals for seniors, serving 30 individuals at an initial event in January. The partnership utilizes Aging Best's Mobile Senior Center, known as 'Aging Best on the M.O.V.E.,' which offers various services to seniors across 19 Missouri counties. ## Initial Event Addresses Community Need The Osage County Library served as the host location for the first meal service in January. The library provided a space for seniors to dine, socialize, and access restroom facilities. Residents typically gather at local restaurants, gas stations, and shops for coffee or lunch, paying full price for their meals. Aging Best's Mobile Senior Center offers healthy meals at a reduced cost. Individuals aged 60 years and above pay $5 per meal, while those under 60 pay $7. The January event served 30 community members. The menu offered a choice between a winter warmer bowl, containing fresh chicken, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, walnuts, and blueberries, or a winter salad, which included chicken, kale or spinach, butternut squash, and cherry tomatoes. The Mobile Senior Center prepared both meal options on-site in the library's newly paved parking lot. Library staff and members of the Friends of the Osage County Library (F.O.C.L.) delivered the ordered meals to the library's Woodland Art Gallery. The February 12 library post indicates the initiative aims to combat social isolation and foster well-being among seniors, noting that gathering for a meal provides a sense of community and an opportunity to form new connections. ## Partnership Origins and Broader Context The partnership between the Osage County Library and Aging Best began in December when Kristen Moomey and Brenda Doyle from Aging Best contacted the library to discuss their mobile food truck service. Their objective was to find a partner capable of hosting their 'Meals for Seniors' program by offering a suitable space for dining, social interaction, and restroom access. The Osage County Library proved to be a fitting location due to the absence of a senior center in the county, as outlined in the February 12 library post. The 'Aging Best on the M.O.V.E.' program extends its services beyond Osage County, reaching seniors in 18 other Missouri counties. The program's design allows it to deliver affordable meals and other services directly to communities, particularly those lacking traditional senior support infrastructure. This model enables public institutions like libraries to expand their role as community hubs, addressing social needs that extend beyond their conventional functions. ## Unanswered Questions Remain on Program Details While the initial meal service in January was documented, several details regarding the program's future operation and financial structure are not available in the Missouri River Regional Library's February 12 post. The specific date in January when the first meal service occurred is not provided. The planned frequency and schedule for future meal services at the Osage County Library are also not specified. Information regarding the official titles or roles of Kristen Moomey and Brenda Doyle from Aging Best is not included in the library's posting. The funding source that subsidizes the affordable meal prices for seniors is not detailed, nor are the financial or in-kind contributions the Osage County Library makes to the partnership. The library's cost in terms of staff time, utility expenses, or facility wear-and-tear is also not publicly available. The February 12 library post does not indicate any plans to expand the program to serve more seniors or additional locations within Osage County, nor does it address long-term solutions for the county's lack of a dedicated senior center.