Friends for Downers Grove Township Seniors raise $5,000 to provide affordable transportation to local seniors
On November 17, the Friends for Downers Grove Township Seniors will present a $5,000 check to the Downers Grove Township Board of Trustees for Dial-A-Ride, a program which provides affordable transportation to local seniors. The presentation will take place at 7:30 p.m. during the Downers Grove Township board meeting.
Finding affordable transportation is a major issue for seniors who are unable to drive and live on a fixed income. These seniors need rides to the grocery store, the bank and sometimes several doctor's appointments per week. Many would also like to participate in volunteer opportunities and social groups but can't because they lack access to affordable transportation.
Currently, the Downers Grove Township and Pace Bus Service work together to subsidize the Dial-A-Ride program, which offers $4 curbside pick-up and drop-off to Township residents who are disabled or age 65 or older. But for many seniors, $4 per bus ride is still too expensive.
That's why the Friends for Downers Grove Township Seniors, a nonprofit formed in 2012 to provide resources to local seniors, has undertaken a fundraising campaign to subsidize the cost even more. They have raised $10,000 for the Dial-A-Ride program so far, including this latest $5,000 donation to the Downers Grove Township. These donations are enough to lower the cost to $3 per ride and bring the Friends closer to their goal of making Dial-A-Ride affordable for all seniors in Downers Grove Township, which includes Downers Grove, Clarendon Hills, Westmont, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Burr Ridge, Woodridge and Darien.
"This donation to Downers Grove Township will do a lot to improve the quality of life for seniors in our area," said Friends for Downers Grove Township Seniors Board Secretary Robin Lacine. "Not many people realize how hard it is for seniors to find affordable transportation once they stop driving, so hopefully our work will bring that issue into the spotlight and encourage more people to help us reach our goal."
Lacine, who also works as the Community Liaison for The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, has been part of the Friends for Downers Grove Township Seniors board since 2015, and has been integral in fundraising efforts for the Dial-A-Ride program.
"We've been promoting this initiative throughout the Township because it is probably the most impactful thing we can do for local seniors. We're spreading the word, hosting fundraising events and forging relationships with people who want to help the cause," said Lacine. "Basically, we're doing everything we can to raise awareness about this struggle seniors face, because lowering transportation costs by just a few dollars a trip can literally change so many seniors' lives."