A program that helps with the cost of transportation has received a boost from the Red Deer and District Community Foundation.
Jean Stinson, president of the Red Deer Action Group Society, said Tuesday that the $3,380 grant helps run the Subsidy Ride Program, and will help low-income and other disadvantaged people.
Currently in its ninth year, the program is a transportation cost reimbursement program for low income residents of Red Deer and surrounding areas.
Anyone wishing to apply to the program need only submit proof of income and travel receipts (bus passes/tickets, taxi or gas) to receive 25 per cent reimbursement up to $150 in a calendar year. Receipts are accepted for travel anywhere in Alberta. The income ceiling is $24,000 per year for a single individual.
Stinson said use of the program is steady, and there are a variety of clients, such as people on AISH, seniors, people in transition, and even some people who have no income or “people who fall through the cracks,” Stinson said.
“It makes a big difference when you don’t have any money.”
The subsidy helps some people for example who might have to leave the city and use Greyhound or Red Arrow for a medical appointment in Calgary or Edmonton. It also helps those who use taxis or Transit to get around the city, to college for example or even a social event.
The Red Deer Action Group Society fundraises for the Subsidy Ride Program. The budget runs between $5,000 and $10,000 annually, Stinson said.
The society is located at 202 4805 48 St. in Red Deer.
The Red Deer and District Community Foundation, which is locally governed and privately funded, is the only local charity focused on creating and building permanent endowments that serve the Central Alberta community. It caters to all sectors from arts and culture to the environment, seniors, community development and education.