United Way of the Brazos Valley’s health care transportation program, Ride2Health, has won a $25,000 grant from State Farm thanks to online votes from the community. This rideshare program will connect local volunteer drivers to patients needing transportation to non-emergency health care appointments, mental health services, and pharmacies.
With the grant funds, United Way of the Brazos Valley will launch a pilot of the program with three local partner organizations, including the Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Health for All, and HealthPoint.
“So many neighbors struggle on a daily basis to get to doctor's visits, the pharmacy, or any number of errands that most of us take for granted,” says Liz Dickey, executive director of Health for All. “Transportation barriers lead to rescheduled or missed appointments, delayed care, and missed or delayed medication use and can result in increased health expenditures and overall poorer health outcomes. Removing this one barrier to accessing basic healthcare will have a ripple effect that will truly change lives.”
In August, United Way of the Brazos Valley was selected as one of the top 200 finalists out of 2,000 nationwide applications. The next step in the grant process was a 10-day online vote to decide the top 40 programs to receive funding.
United Way of the Brazos Valley was the only finalist from the Brazos Valley, and one of only 15 organizations selected from the state of Texas.
“Throughout the 10 days of voting, Ride2Health stayed in the top 40 ranked programs,” says Peggi Goss, VP Community Impact. “Many of the other programs were in cities with much higher populations and had the potential to reach more people. It's a testament to the commitment of the Brazos Valley that we won this grant. We are so grateful for the time and effort of our community.”
United Way of the Brazos Valley will begin recruiting volunteer drivers in October. To register to receive more information about becoming a volunteer driver, visit volunteerbrazosvalley.org.
“I am happy to be a part of the United Way and this community where we can identify a need and then continue to work toward a solution until we have moved the needle and done what needed to be done,” Dickey says. “It is often far too easy to say ‘the problem is too big’ or ‘I can't change it.’ Instead, we have a prime example of people fighting for change and not accepting that they couldn't do it. As a result, our neighbors will have a better shot at a happy and healthy life. That's a huge deal and I could not be prouder to be a part of it.”
United Way of the Brazos Valley fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in the Brazos Valley. To learn more about United Way, visit uwbv.org.
Courtesy of United Way of the Brazos Valley
