Delaware nonprofit’s rides provide a lifeline for elderly, disabled
Delaware nonprofit also helps people with disabilities
Delaware nonprofit group helps seniors and people with disabilities with rides to medical appointments, pharmacies and grocery stores
- Nonprofit group Faith in Action provides free rides to seniors and people with disabilities to medical appointments, pharmacies and grocery stores.
- The services started as part of a program to help improve health education and advocacy on health issues.
- The group’s leaders realized that a lack of transportation to medical appointments was a hurdle to good health for many people.
You don’t think of a car ride as being essential to good health, but it is for people who can’t drive and need to get to medical appointments, the pharmacy or grocery store.
The nonprofit group Faith in Action provides free rides for seniors and people with disabilities so they don’t have to miss a doctor’s visit or wait to get food or medications.
“The relief of our clients when they can get a ride – it’s a big lesson I learned early on in assisting folks,” said the Rev. Brian Sanders, executive director of the Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families, which oversees Faith in Action. “For people who aren’t able to drive anymore, it’s a challenge.”
The program grew out of a goal of improving people’s health, starting with community education and advocacy on health issues. But the group’s leaders saw that simply being able to get to a doctor, physical therapist or the pharmacy was an obstacle for many seniors and people with disabilities.
“It’s so important that people have steady, consistent access to medical appointments. Then they’re able to stay on their regimen and stay healthy,” Sanders said.
The state paratransit service provides rides for elderly and disabled individuals who meet eligibility requirements. However, Faith in Action is another choice, particularly for those who require more help.
“We saw there was a need to fill in the gaps,” Sanders said. “Quite often there are limits in the number of medical transportation trips they can get with Medicare coverage.”
If you cancel a medical appointment because you don’t have a ride, then you may be waiting weeks for a new appointment, and problems can snowball, Sanders said. Maybe you have to delay a test that could have diagnosed a condition earlier. Maybe you could have started your medication sooner and avoided a bigger problem.
“It’s the companionship as well,” Sanders said. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to and be there with you.”
Faith in Action helped 93 people in 2025, with coordinators and volunteer drivers providing about 3,025 hours of service.
“We have a coordinator, Deborah Killen, who drives clients from Sussex County to Wilmington because that’s where their appointment is. That takes a lot of time,” Sanders said.
The nonprofit is an interfaith organization, but doesn’t promote any religion, Sanders said.
Clients can call themselves to start the registration process or they may be referred by an organization or agency.
Gloria Wright, a client in Kent County, said the ride service is “a little freedom” that she looks forward to.
“It just pulls you up. It works very well,” Wright said. “My driver is very nice. I enjoy it.”
Gail LaGasse is the driver coordinator in northern Kent and southern New Castle counties and also takes clients to appointments.
“Many are homebound, don’t have family or family nearby,” LaGasse said. “Some don’t feel comfortable driving long distances or in the city, say to an appointment in Wilmington.”
Most clients can’t afford a transportation service.
“They’re very appreciative and we’re very happy to be able to provide it for them,” LaGasse said.
Volunteers and donations are needed
Faith in Action needs a coordinator for northern New Castle County and more volunteer drivers in all three counties, Sanders said.
Volunteers must have a reliable vehicle, vehicle insurance and go through a security background check. They receive reimbursement for the miles they drive.
“We can always use more volunteers,” LaGasse said. “Most of my drivers work with two or three clients a month. Most are local trips. You don’t have to go too far.”
The coordinators usually take care of the longest trips.
If you’d like to help seniors or people with disabilities but don’t want to drive, the Ecumenical Council also has a program offering phone calls to people to check on them on a regular basis.
“The Never Alone Project provides telephone reassurance on whatever schedule the client is comfortable with, to check in but also have time for conversation,” Sanders said.
Donations are accepted to help the nonprofit program which also receives funds from the Delaware Division of Aging, state grants, faith-based congregations and individuals.
For information, call the Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families at (302) 225-1040, email [email protected] or see the website, deccf.org/faith-in-action/.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at [email protected].
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