Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- Rockdale County Senior Services announced it has received $19,950 in grant funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission that will triple transportation access for local senior citizens.

Rockdale County was one of 11 recipients awarded the federal grants that total $3.3 million, according to the ARC. The funding is targeted specifically to operate transportation programs or transit routes that serve individuals who do not drive because of age, disability or because they cannot afford a car.

Jackie Lunsford, Rockdale County deputy director for parks and senior services, explained the grant could not have come at a better time. The senior center's transportation voucher program had lost funding due to state budget cuts and had only enough to get through June 30. The ARC grant will now carry it through the middle of 2013.

"It's basically fixed routes for travel to the senior center, to doctor appointments and other basic needs services," she said. "We're excited about it because we had funding through social services block grants and that funding was cut. This is going to more than fill that gap."

Rockdale County started offering the senior citizen transportation voucher program in 2005 as a pilot program. The senior center provides vouchers for its clients to use to get rides. Providers, individual drivers and companies are approved by the senior center to participate in the program.

Qualified residents are 60 years of age or older, have a disability, meet annual income requirements and have expressed a need for transportation services.

Lunsford said the transportation voucher program is small with 12 people being helped. She said the ARC grant will allow the senior center to expand services to other residents with transportation needs.

The ARC grant is the latest in a series of funding grants awarded to Rockdale's senior center during the past year.

Walton EMC through its round up program donated $1,400 toward the center's Meals on Wheels program. The Hospital Authority of Rockdale County also supports the Meals on Wheels program with a $1,000 grant to cover fuel costs.

Also, the senior center received a $1,000 community block grant to start a vegetable garden at the center on Dogwood Drive.