ALBANY, Ga. – The Sowega Council on Aging is offering a one-time mini-grant to organizations that provide activities for senior adults. It’s intended to complement the agency’s Senior Center Without Walls program.

The Senior Center Without Walls program is a congregate nutrition program offering meals and activities in a community setting rather than a traditional senior center facility, the SCOA said in a press release. The program’s purpose is to provide nutritious meals to seniors along with social interaction opportunities, education, and activities. Participation is determined based on the number of meals served, not activities attended.

SCOA administers the Senior Center Without Walls program and has significantly increased meal service to seniors throughout the region since switching to this model in April 2020, the agency said.  The program has tripled the involvement rate compared to the traditional senior center setting, translating into over 1,000 more participants.  As is, the program exceeds all standards required by the Division of Aging Services.  

However, as an Area Agency on Aging, SCOA recognizes the importance of local, in-person activities for seniors, which can help reduce social isolation, depression and improve overall health.  For this reason, the organization is administering a one-time mini-grant opportunity from the Division of Aging Services for interested applicants to help fund local in-person activities for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2022.

For those interested in applying for the mini-grants, information regarding eligibility, requirements, deadlines and more can be found at https://sowegacoa.org/mini-grant-application-for-senior-recreation/.