ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
It is important for any community to take care of its senior citizen population, and the staff at the Liberal Senior Center is looking to do just that through a new Sponsor A Senior program.
As Meal Site Manager Kristy Flores tells it, the program is looking to have multiple far-reaching effects.
“The Sponsor A Senior program is really about donating to the Friendship Meals program. We feed senior citizens in Meade, Kismet, Plains and Liberal, and we cook, prepare and serve all of those meals,” Flores said. “We deliver to about 70 citizens just in Liberal, and unfortunately, the majority of the seniors we deliver to are unable to pay, so that's where Sponsor A Senior came from. We wanted to have a way to get the community's help in sponsoring these senior citizens and paying for their meals so they can stay on the program and remain healthy. It was a fundraising/brainstorming idea, and the main question was how we could get the community involved in the Friendship Meals program and with the senior population. I only recently became the meal site manager a couple months ago, and I was wondering what I could do to get the word out about the Friendship Meals program and who could help.”
Ultimately, Flores said, it was easy to officially get the program going.
“It was an easy idea to put this out there into the community and ask 'Are you willing to help feed a senior?' It's something relatively simple that doesn't really require a lot of time or effort, the main goal is asking for that help and letting people know these senior citizens are here and some of them need some extra assistance,” Flores said. “And not only does the Friendship Meals program feed these senior citizens, it's also a wellness check, in a sense because for a lot of the seniors we deliver to, we're the only people they see and/or this is the only meal they'll get that day. We take it seriously to check on these citizens and make sure they're doing okay and know about other resources that can help them. A lot of time, our senior population is forgotten by the community, or people think 'Oh, they have family taking care of them,' but that's not always the case. We really want to get the word out there how these senior citizens are here and need some help.”
Flores said she hopes to see a lot of generosity toward the program.
“Since this is the first time we're doing a program like this, we are playing things somewhat by ear just because the Friendship Meals program isn't as well known in the community as we think it should be,” Flores said. “In fact, when I started at the Liberal Senior Center, I had no idea we delivered meals to people. Just getting word out about the program is major for us, and I think after that, then people will want to donate and then let their friends and other family know. The suggested donation is $80, which will feed one of our senior citizens for a full month, and that's mostly what we're looking for, being able to feed someone for a month off of one donation. But, any donation is highly appreciated and welcome – if you feel $80 might be stretching it for you, you can donate less, and again, any amount helps. But the suggested donation is $80 so we know for sure we'll be able to feed someone for a whole month. For anyone who does want to make a donation, they can come to the Liberal Senior Center at 701 N. Grant Ave. and give it to us in person, or they can call us at (620) 624-2511 and we'll take it over the phone, or people can mail us their donation. I think it'll be really exciting to grow the program and be able to feed as many senior citizens as possible, that's what we would love to see.”
Flores added she hopes to see the program grow.
“The Friendship Meals program is so important because again, a lot of people just assume our senior citizen population is being taken care of, but that's not always the case,” Flores said. “And not only do we deliver to people, people can also come to the senior center and dine in, which is a great way for these senior citizens to stay social. And for the senior citizens who insist on staying in their homes, the program is a great way for them to be able to do that since it's something they don't have to worry about. With the Sponsor A Senior, I do feel like this is something that could be more long term for the senior center – we definitely won't limit this to just certain times of the year, we'll take donations from anyone at any time because again, this is such an important program for so many people.”
Overall, Flores said, she hopes to keep spreading the word about the Liberal Senior Center and its work in the community and surrounding area.
“Our main goal is to get the word out about how this program does exist, and how we'd love for the community to be involved, and we hope to get a lot of donations and support for what we're doing at the senior center,” Flores said.
