Great news for seniors in northwestern Dutchess County and Red Hook and Tivoli in particular! The Office for the Aging (OFA) will relocate its Senior Friendship Center from its current location at Memorial Lutheran Church, 1232 Route 308 in Rhinebeck, to a new location in the Red Hook Community Center, 59 Fisk Street in the Village of Red Hook.

The OFA operates eight Senior Friendship Centers throughout Dutchess County, which are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offer nutritious congregate meals and social activities.

The new Red Hook location, which will be open Monday through Thursday, is 36 percent larger than the current site in Rhinebeck. Positioned closer to population centers in northwestern Dutchess County, the Red Hook site will provide more space for socialization and exercise, and it will offer the opportunity for intergenerational activities with seniors and teens, as well as activities with local organizations.

“Bringing the Senior Friendship Center to the Red Hook Community Center is a win-win situation for everybody,” said Kris Munn, County Legislator for Red Hook and Tivoli. “The facility is larger and can offer more opportunities for seniors while also supporting the overall mission of the Community Center to serve the entire community.”

OFA staff expects attendance at the new Red Hook location will double in the coming year, compared to the number of seniors who have attended the Senior Friendship Center location in Rhinebeck.

The new location will also serve as the base of operations for the OFA’s Home Delivered Meals program serving Milan, Red Hook, Rhinebeck and part of Clinton; home delivered meals are available to eligible seniors five days a week. Additionally, the new location will provide seniors opportunities for unique activities, such as tai chi and line-dancing classes.

More information about the services and programs offered by the OFA is available by visiting Dutchess County Government’s website or by calling 845-486-2555.