Dial-a-Ride, the nonprofit transportation service in Jacksonville Beach for seniors, received an anonymous donation from a member of the Palms Presbyterian Church. The gift enabled the 49-year agency to purchase a van that will take seniors who can no longer drive anywhere they wish to go in the Beaches area.
It will replace an old car that seats two people, with an Acura Odyssey van that seats six.
“We were so grateful to receive this donation so that we could upgrade our fleet and help more seniors,” said Lori Anderson, executive director of the program. “Although this van does not have wheelchair access, our other three vans are able to accommodate one or two wheelchairs.”
Beaches Council on Aging is the agency that runs the nonprofit program Dial-a-Ride. It has been helping seniors and disabled adults in the Beaches area since 1975.
The service spans north from Mayport, south to Ponte Vedra Beach and across the Intracoastal to Mayo Clinic and the Cypress Village area.
The demand is growing as the population of aging adults is increasing. Seniors who are losing their ability to drive for health or safety reasons is the reason the service is offered.
Dial-a-Ride wants to assure that those who are stuck in their homes have a way to go to their doctor, grocery shop or get their hair done.
The operation is simple and free; it only takes a phone call a few days before your appointment and they only ask for a $5 donation roundtrip. The drivers are kind and courteous and treat our riders like friends, according to the organization.
If you would like to learn more about the service, or know someone in the Jacksonville Beaches area who needs this service, go to beachescoa.org or call 904-246-1477 Ext. 1.
