New Van Will Give Thousands of Seniors a Lift

A new Madison Senior Center van that gives seniors in the borough free lifts to medical appointments, supermarkets and social activities has been purchased with the help of a $35,000 Investors Foundation grant and matching funds from the borough, the foundation has announced.

The borough's share of the cost came from income generated by the Jacob Henry Perkins Trust Fund, which Madison may use to support "'aged persons' in need of services who cannot afford to pay the full cost" on their own, according to the resolution authorizing the matching grant.

“We have many seniors in the community who lead active, independent lives, but they require transportation assistance for doctor visits, food shopping, and social activities,” said Edna Ierley-Byrne, the Madison Senior Center’s executive director.

The van operates five days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The volunteer-run senior center also organizes advocacy services, health screenings, recreational activities, and guest speakers on topics such as phone scams, computer technology and tax preparation.

“We are extremely grateful for the generous support of the Investors Foundation,” Madison Council President Carmela Vitale, president of the Senior Citizen Advisory Board who advocated for the transportation initiative, said in a news release.

“We are thrilled to have a program in place to provide our residents with the safe, reliable transportation they deserve,” Mayor Bob Conley said. “The van will be a regular sight in town, serving thousands of seniors annually.”

The Investors Foundation said it supports non-profit organizations that enrich the communities served by Investors Bank, which operates more than 100 retail branches in New Jersey and New York, including a location on Waverly Place in Madison.

“The Madison Senior Center is the model of a thriving, effective social-services resource,” Investors Bank President and CEO Kevin Cummings said. “We hope and expect that this new vehicle will enhance the already outstanding services the Center offers to Madison’s active senior community.”

More information about the free Dial-a-Ride service is available on the Madison Senior Services website.