MyRide West Tennessee program looking for drivers

JACKSON, Tenn. — A local program in West Tennessee is looking for volunteers to help those who need help getting around town to meet their daily needs.

MyRide West Tennessee is a transportation program that gives rides to senior adults.

“We have volunteers in Madison County who take older adults to doctors appointments, grocery stores, pharmacy, bank, wherever they might need to go in or around Madison County,” said Keita Cole, director of MyRide West Tennessee.

Program coordinators are looking for drivers to give rides to people ages 60 and older. To qualify, all you need is to be over 21, have a working vehicle, valid license, insurance and a clean background.

“Because of the lack of volunteers we just can’t meet the need, and so just all we ask is that people volunteer to do one ride a month, and we limit the rides for three hours, so we’re just asking people to give a very small part of their day to make a big impact on somebody’s  life,” Cole said.

MyRide West Tennessee has been providing service for two years. They say they want to provide older adults with a little more one-on-one attention.

“We walk through the grocery stores with them and make sure they get checked in at their doctors appointments, so we are just kind of there to lend a hand for people who may not have family close or may not feel comfortable going out on their own,” Cole said.

Cole says seeing a smile on their face and helping someone in need is just what the program is looking to do.

“To see the excitement on somebody’s face when you go to pick them up to take them to the grocery store, just so they know they can do this on their own, they don’t have to burden their family, they don’t have to feel like they are a burden to their church groups or to their friends,” Cole said.

For those who may be interested in volunteering, the program will have a volunteer information session at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Southwest Tennessee Development District office located at the corner of North Highland Avenue and East College Street in downtown Jackson.

You can find more information at the MyRide West Tennessee Facebook page.