MILFORD — The impending sale of Lakeland Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Milford by parent company Trilogy Health Services has inspired Harvest with a Heart, a Milford-based non-profit, to examine ways it may be able to utilize the building, expected to be vacant by 2019. Karena Wilkinson, manager of Harvest Coffee, and Ann Schlabach, Harvest with a Heart board member, were present at the Monday, Sept. 10, meeting of the Milford Redevelopment Commission to discuss how best to move forward.

Wilkinson informed the commission she had been approached by David Neff, executive director of Kosciusko Community Senior Services, about taking over Milford’s Meals-on-Wheels program. Milford-area meals are currently prepared at Lakeland Center; however, this would double the amount of daily food preparation at Harvest Coffee, according to Wilkinson. “We started talking about a bigger space,” she explained, specifically, the newer section of Lakeland Rehab.

Wilkinson went on to say working with seniors “lines up” with Harvest with a Heart’s philosophy. “They are overlooked so often,” she commented. Furthermore, she sees a great opportunity to “connect youth and seniors.” Wilkinson believes many of Milford’s youth are missing the mentorship of having a grandparent, as they are often raised by a grandparent who becomes a parental figure.

Since Baker Youth Center discontinued its latchkey program at Milford School, said Wilkinson, there is a need for a place for kids with working parents to go with adult supervision. “It’s a bigger, better way to reach the community.”

Wilkinson also pointed out research shows seniors who spend time with youths are “cognitively sharper and younger.”

Harvest Coffee’s youth classes are full, and when it held a cooking class for kids, said Wilkinson, “we found out how small our kitchen is.”

Commission member Doug Ruch informed Wilkinson, Harvest would “have to be creative” when it came to questions of zoning classification.

Ruch also commented Trilogy has been helpful in other areas where they have closed buildings. Commission members agreed with Ruch Harvest first needed to send a letter of inquiry to Trilogy Vice President of Development Peter Massey.

Schlabach, one of the founding members of Harvest with a Heart, expressed hope grants may eventually be available from K21 and Dekko Foundations. K21 has previously provided funding for Harvest Coffee and Harvest with a Heart’s food pantry.

Following Monday’s meeting, Wilkinson toured the Lakeland building. “There is so much potential,” she exclaimed.