NORTH READING — The Edith O’Leary Senior Center is hosting a “Volunteer Driver Open House” for both prospective and existing drivers next Wednesday, October 8 from 1-3 p.m.
Existing drivers, come get desserts and meet each other as well as Jackie Quinn, the Center’s program and volunteer coordinator, in person, and share what you’ve seen recently plus your ideas for helping the town’s clients.
Prospective drivers, come learn more about the North Reading Transportation Committee and its medical ride program from staff and existing volunteers drivers, and start your volunteer application!
Over the past three years the Senior Center has seen increasing requests for non-emergency medical rides. “In Fiscal Year 2024, we covered 209 requests for 374 one-way trips; in FY25, we covered 390 requests for 716 one-way trips. Volunteer participation grew along with need for a while and has now dropped slightly below requests,” according to Director of Public Services Lil Hartman.
“Wheelchair-lift rides are critical in addition to rides by volunteers, to ensure all residents have equal opportunity to get medical rides. These types of rides are provided either by the Senior Center van or a backup vendor,” Hartman explained.
DEDICATED PHONE NUMBER
The Senior Center recently set up a dedicated phone number for medical ride requests: 978-357-5300. By leaving a voicemail, requests will be handled by the Center’s transportation coordinator first and fully for the best referrals and ride matching.
To manage limited volunteer availability and ensure that resources are directed to cover as much of the total demand as possible, the Senior Center will refer some ride requests to known alternatives, when available, such as MassHealth, The Ride (pickup outside of North Reading), and medi-MeVa, which offers medical rides to Peabody and Boston on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and to the Bedford VA on Wednesdays and Fridays.
“We are on course to spend more funds providing medical transportation than MassDOT grants provide this fiscal year,” Hartman added. Donations to support the Senior Center’s Transportation Programs are welcome. Make checks payable to the Town of North Reading, write “Rides” in the memo, and mail or drop it off in person to the Senior Center, 157 Park St., North Reading MA 01864.
Donations can help sustain services and will be used toward volunteer mileage reimbursement, backup vendors for wheelchair-lift rides, and town driver hours beyond town budget. Gifts to town are tax-deductible.