Neighbor Ride Volunteers Reach Out to Support the Community

Pivoting to Meet New Needs

This is a challenging time for all of us but knowing that we are in it together somehow provides equal measures of strength and ingenuity that offer tremendous hope for the days ahead. As it became clear that social distancing guidelines implemented to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis would be both far-reaching and long-term, Neighbor Ride proactively made plans to pivot its transportation program to one that could also accommodate essential food deliveries. Reaching out to the Community Action Council of Howard County (Food Bank) and the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services, the organization offered its plan to mobilize Neighbor Ride’s existing volunteers and logistics capabilities for the free delivery of food to their vulnerable, home-bound clients.

Volunteers Respond

As the CAC and DCRS were designing updates to their existing processes in real-time as demanded by the crisis, Neighbor Ride started pulling together a more detailed outline of how the food delivery program would operate. Policies and procedures were drafted with safe social distancing practices in mind and this information was then shared with Neighbor Ride’s volunteers. There was strong support for the proposed expansion of services, and drivers who were able eagerly offered to be a part of the food delivery project.

Driving Our Community

Neighbor Ride made 18 deliveries to Howard County Food Bank and Office on Aging and Independence clients in the first week of the Food Delivery project; and last week its dedicated volunteers completed nearly 50 more, including deliveries in support of CAC’s Head Start Family Meal Program. In the month ahead, the numbers will continue to climb steeply. Being “in this together” though gives all of us hope, because together, we're making a very real difference!

Your Help is Needed!

With the fee-for-service component of Neighbor Ride's transportation program largely shut down, the nonprofit is projecting an impactful loss of revenue as the COVID-19 crisis persists. Your help is needed more than ever before to ensure that Neighbor Ride can continue to be there for our community. Please consider donating by clicking HERE or via check, made payable to Neighbor Ride, Inc. and mailed to 5570 Sterrett Place, Suite 102 - Columbia, MD 21044. (Neighbor Ride's EIN Number is 32-0123282)