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January 2020: Stories from the Road
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Volunteer drivers give their time on a weekly basis to make the world a better place. The perpetual challenge is to recruit enough drivers to meet the high demand of ride requests. Our “ask” on this Martin Luther King Day of service is to make the commitment to pick up at least one extra ride by the end of this month.
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Additionally, our network partners would love for you to spread the word to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to become drivers. Together, we can combat loneliness and isolation, while giving the gift of a lift.
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"Everybody can be great....because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
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It's More Than Just a Ride
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At NV Rides we field calls daily from a variety of people in need. We are often able to help by connecting them to one of our network partners. However, there are many times that we need to seek out other resources to support them. In Fairfax County we are fortunate to have a variety of transportation options for people who do not meet the criteria for volunteer driving.
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Here are a few of the programs that are available:
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FASTRAN: Fastran offers specialized transportation services for residents of Fairfax County and cities of Fairfax and Falls Church participating in human services programs. Learn more
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TOPS (Transportation Options Programs Services): Coming in 2020, the TOPS program will replace the old taxi voucher program. A new debit card program will be available for use with a variety of transportation options. All seniors who are currently participating in the taxi voucher program (Seniors on the Go!, TAXIACCESS, or Dial-a-Ride) will be notified when the program switches over. Learn more
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Mobility Management: The Fairfax County Mobility Access Project is a regional effort to enhance transportation options throughout the region, particularly for older adults and those with disabilities. Mobility management connect travelers with tools and resources for getting them from “here to there.”Learn more:
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Additional Resources for 50+ Community
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In addition to helping clients navigate transportation options, we sometimes find ourselves referring clients to additional programs for other types of support. Here are a few that can be a good resource:
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Serving Together: Providing clear guidance and understanding of the earned resources available to veterans in the National Capital Area.
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Washington Area Village Exchange (WAVE): NV Rides works with villages to help support their transportation needs. Many villages go beyond transportation, and offer services such as cultural outings, social events and vendor vetting. Learn more about villages in the region and see if joining a village would be right for you.
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As we head into a new decade, we will continue to work collaboratively with all our community partners to best serve the aging community in Northern Virginia. You can find additional information on the Resources page of the NV Rides website.
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Happy New Year from the NV Rides team.
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