DAVENPORT, Iowa — Milestones Area Agency on Aging is starting their dinner program at senior centers in Scott and Clinton County on Monday.
The organization is renaming the program "Milestones Community Café".
Before the pandemic, Milestones Agency provided meals for seniors at participating senior centers. Last year the organization started delivering meals to people's homes because of COVID-19.
"It helps me with my diet because I'm diabetic," Said Barbara Moellering, Community Café Attendee.
Moellering said she hasn't been eating healthy since the dinners stopped last year.
"I don't cook very much, my stove doesn't work. I cook with my microwave oven and my George Foreman grill," Moellering said. I wasn't eating healthy, I was eating whatever I could find, like frozen foods.”
Aside from her health, she says socializing has become more important to her since her husband died.
"I don't like eating by myself," said Moellering. "Just being around people helps, it makes you feel better. It does quite a bit. Because when you're alone you think bad thoughts."
Catherine Pratscher, Milestones Café Manager, was a part of the group delivering meals last year and she says she's excited to return to in-person dining.
"I was really excited to see that we were finally going to get back to it but it was a long time coming," said Pratscher. "People have just come up to hug me and it's been neat to just see people again."
Each meal is reviewed by a nutritionist before the menu is made and has to meet diet guidelines set by the D.C Office on Aging.