Alliance for Community Transportation Receives $25,000 from the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation

Funds will allow expansion of Community Rides service for older adults and people living with disabilities

DOVER, NH: Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation, more commonly known as COAST, has received a $25,000 grant on behalf of the Alliance for Community Transportation (ACT) from the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation. The funds will help to expand ACT’s Community Rides service, which provides fare-free transportation to medical appointments for older adults and people living with disabilities.

Community Rides is a service of ACT, southeastern New Hampshire’s Region Coordination Council for Community Transportation. The program was launched in 2014 to serve people who didn’t qualify for or who were otherwise not being served by other transportation programs around the region. So far in 2024, the program has given 600 rides to 71 people.

“Community Rides has always been a relatively small program, meant to fill in the gaps between others. But demand is increasing,” said Jeff Donald, Regional Mobility Manager for ACT and TripLink, “We’re excited that Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation is investing in the expansion of the program so we can provide more trips for more people.”

Recent surveys in the region have shown that aging in place is a priority for seniors and people with disabilities, but that transportation is a concern.

“Expanding transportation options in the region, especially for essential needs like healthcare, will have an outsized impact on those trying to stay in their long-term homes as they get older,” said Donald.

Trip requests for Community Rides go through the regional call center, TripLink, and assigns them to one of three partner agencies: COAST, Meals on Wheels of Rockingham County, or Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. TripLink manages the trip schedules for all three agencies and is able to decide which is best suited to provide the ride.

Individuals needing transportation can visit TripLink’s website, CommunityRides.org, or call 603-834-6010 to learn more about the programs they may qualify for.

About Alliance for Community Transportation (ACT)

ACT is southeastern New Hampshire’s state-designated Regional Coordination Council for Community Transportation. Membership is comprised of health care providers, human service agencies, transportation providers, and regional planning commissions. ACT’s mission is to facilitate the implementation of coordinated community transportation and to encourage the development of improved and expanded regional transportation services. ACT is led by the Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST). For more information, please visit CommunityRides.org/ACT.

About COAST

The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation, more commonly known as COAST, is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization and an innovative leader in providing a broad range of public transportation services, connecting and coordinating a robust network of options for everyone.

COAST’s mission is to champion and provide customer-focused public transportation with a commitment to excellence in safety and service.

COAST’s annual operating budget ranges between $7.5 and $8.5M. As a nonprofit, their budget is funded through a blend of federal, state, and local sources. Federal funding is generally required to be matched with state or local funds, most of which COAST secures through the municipalities they provide service within, charitable contributions from businesses, individuals, and foundations as well as through specific service agreements, and advertising on the buses and in the bus shelters. To learn more visit coastbus.org.

About the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation

The Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation improves the health and well-being of the people in Strafford County and surrounding communities by investing in health and social service programs, organizations and projects that benefit the community. Created in 2021 with proceeds from the sale of the nonprofit Frisbie Memorial Hospital, GRCHF is a supporting organization of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Learn more at nhcf.org/grchf