MIDDLEBURY, VT — The Hoehl Family Foundation of Burlington has awarded a 3-year grant totaling $225,000 to Tri-Valley Transit (TVT), doing business as Addison County Transit Resources and Stagecoach Transportation. The support will allow TVT to build out its volunteer driver services within the Dial-A-Ride program to meet the expanding need for cost-effective services.
The Hoehl Family Foundation was founded in 1993 by Robert and Cynthia Hoehl to support Vermont through grants to local nonprofits that help Vermont families and communities overcome issues and challenges. Today, the mission is to enhance the lives of Vermonters through the support of nonprofits that help meet Vermonters’ basic human needs, education, religious beliefs and health.
ACTR, a division of Tri-Valley Transit, has received prior support from the Foundation. In 2012, a gift of $75,000 helped build the Community Transportation Center and a second gift of $25,000 provided general support for the Dial-A-Ride program. “We are honored by the Hoehl Family Foundation’s continued investment in community transportation,” said Jim Moulton, Executive Director of TVT. “This gift will increase our capacity to recruit and retain volunteer drivers who are the heart of the Dial-A-Ride program.” 
Dial-A-Rides are free door-to-door rides for vulnerable populations who cannot access the Shuttle Bus System. TVT works with Volunteer Drivers to provide these rides and reimburses them for mileage. TVT’s support of the program includes volunteer recruitment, background checks, Dispatch service, quality assurance checks, insurance verification, vehicle spot-checks, reimbursement administration, training/support and community outreach.
 Neighbors who are aged 60-plus or living with an ADA-eligible disability may use the free service up to six times each month. It changes lives by providing access to medical care, meal sites and food shopping, necessary appointments and social enrichment. Demographically, in 2000, 15 percent of the county’s population was age 60 or older. In 2010, that number had risen to 20 percent and, by 2020, it is projected to rise to 27 percent. As people age, they often become less able to drive and tend to need more medical services. They also often live on limited incomes, with fewer dollars available for owning and maintaining personal vehicles. 
 Medicaid-eligible neighbors who have no access to a vehicle are eligible for free rides to medical appointments. Medicaid-eligible neighbors, including foster families, who do have access to a car, may qualify for hardship reimbursements through TVT. 
To learn more about TVT’s community transportation services and volunteer opportunities visit www.trivalleytransit.org or call 802-388-2287.