Funding cuts leave senior transit plan in jeopardy

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For the past 20 years, Riverdale Senior Services has offered senior citizens rides to and from its 2600 Netherland Ave. location, doctor’s appointments, the bank, the supermarket and cultural outings through its transportation shuttle van. Funding during that time came through a grant from the city’s aging department.

A few weeks ago, RSS executive director Julia Schwartz-Leeper learned the city would not renew its funding for its shuttle bus. Instead, the aging department awarded a $1.4 million, three-year grant to the nonprofit Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, which takes over the service July 1.

Schwartz-Leeper, however, is concerned the council will not provide service to all of the seniors who use RSS. After a meeting with Jeanette Puryear, the council’s executive director, Schwartz-Leeper said she’s now working on an alternative plan to support the transportation efforts there.

“The message I am getting (from Mid-Bronx) is that you don’t need us that much, and we’ll do something in that area, (just) not what you’ve been doing,” Schwartz-Leeper said. In fact, when she met with Puryear, she was told that the seniors in her area “are needier” than the seniors utilizing RSS.

Schwartz-Leeper added that Mid-Bronx council is not obligated to work with RSS if it decides to sub-contract the work, but the nonprofit has declined to respond to questions from The Riverdale Press as to how the organization would work with RSS seniors.

Puryear did not respond to questions from The Press, either.

Because of that, Schwartz-Leeper is now looking for alternatives that would either supplement what the Mid-Bronx council is providing, or even replace it.

Schwartz-Leeper said she partnered with ARC XVI Fort Washington Senior Center, another nonprofit which covers upper Manhattan and portions of the Bronx for the grant proposal because the city requires service providers cover a larger geographical area and serve more seniors.

“Without transportation, we could not run our adult day program as the participants rely on transportation with our aides on the bus to assist,” Schwartz-Leeper said. “This is why I am desperately trying to see where I can get at least short-term funding.”

Along with a gala fundraiser planned for June 12, Schwartz-Leeper is looking anywhere she can find for other sources for money. She would need to raise $100,000 to continue transportation to RSS the way it’s run now.

In addition to adult daycare services, RSS offers healthy meals, computer courses, exercise classes and intergenerational programming.

Some of the RSS seniors were so concerned about the shuttle bus service, they created a petition to save it. It had nearly 200 signatures as of early this week.

“We’re working together to provide a smooth transition, and seniors will continue to receive services,” Zenovia Earle, a spokeswoman for the aging department, said.

Last year, RSS provided more than 38 rides per day, which were above the 25 daily rides they were contracted to offer, Schwartz-Leeper said. The shuttle typically includes an RSS staff member who rides along with the group to assist seniors who are frail.

The program has no income requirements, and while RSS does not charge for the service, it will ask riders for a suggested contribution, Schwartz-Leeper said, which goes back into funding the program.

The Mid-Bronx council’s most recent publicly posted tax return said the nonprofit received $2.4 million in funds from the aging department between July 2014 and June 2015, accounting for more than 60 percent of the organization’s funding.

“I am scrambling to find a way to continue to serve these clients,” Schwartz-Leeper said. “I won’t let them stay at home. Becoming homebound is an awful thing and leads to deterioration of one’s physical and mental health. I won’t let that happen.”

Riverdale Senior Services, RSS, Julia Schwartz-Leeper, Mid-Bronx, Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, Jeanette Puryear, transportation, transportation bus

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