BRADDOCK, Pa. — Hundreds of local folks are now receiving free rides to food pantries and other destinations across eastern Allegheny County.
“It’s been outstanding,” said Paula McWilliams, president and CEO of Heritage Community Initiatives.
The Braddock-based organization offers a fixed-route transit service that makes more than 75 stops through multiple neighborhoods, for just 25 cents per ride. In February, it teamed up with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, donating 550 rider cards that can be used for free for three months.
“Something that we hear from folks all of the time is that access to food, to good, healthy food, can be difficult, so when we have an opportunity to partner and make that access easier, we want to take it,” said Chris West, director of community connections at the food bank.
West told Channel 11 that the food bank distributed the cards among 11 different food pantries that fall along the Heritage Community Transportation routes.
McWilliams told Channel 11 that the cards can be tracked, and have already been seeing use. She said the program could potentially be expanded.
The cards can be used for any stop on the route, making it easier for folks to access medical services and other necessary destinations.
“If everybody uses them once, that’s great, but our hope is that people use them to help enhance their lives on a daily basis,” McWilliams said.
“The food bank is really looking beyond food too, at what other needs folks might have — so if that’s transportation, housing, health care — we want to get folks connected with the organizations and people that are working on that,” West said. “Because, ultimately, that’s what’s going to make someone food secure — making sure all of their needs are met.”
Click here to learn more about Heritage Community Initiatives.
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