Via has received grants totaling $154,000. The funds will be used to provide accessible transportation, travel training, and information and referral for individuals with mobility limitations.
The funds were awarded by Rose Community Foundation ($110,000), Longmont United Hospital ($30,000), Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center ($10,000), Collins Foundation Trust ($2,000) and the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County ($2,000).
A portion of the funding from Rose Community Foundation will support the mobility specialist at Via, who provides information and referral for individuals who don’t drive, including those who are considering or have recently given up their car.
Elsa Gallegos, Via’s bilingual mobility specialist, said she often talks with adult children who need assistance in starting a conversation with their parents about giving up the keys. “Making the decision to give up driving can be huge and for some, emotionally charged,” she said. “Via has developed some guidelines and resources on how to best handle this major life transition, and I can help individuals keep that conversation constructive.”
In 2012, Via’s mobility specialist provided information about mobility options in Boulder County and the Denver metro area to nearly 500 individuals. In addition, Via’s paratransit service provided more than 130,000 trips and served 2,270 individuals living with mobility limitations.