Happy Chanukah - The Jewish Georgian

Page 10 THE JEWISH GEORGIAN November-December 2011
JF&CS NEWS
ROUND-THE-CLOCK TRANSPORTA-
TION FOR TOCO HILLS NORC. Older
adults who live in the Toco Hills
Naturally Occurring Retirement
Community (NORC) now have a new
way to access low-cost, efficient transportation.
Through a recently obtained
transportation grant, the Toco Hills
NORC has been able to introduce a series
of transportation voucher programs for
seniors.
A program of the Aviv Older Adult
Services—Tools for Aging division of
Jewish Family & Career Services
(JF&CS), the NORC has teamed up with
Checker Taxi Cab Company to allow
older adults to pay $5 for two $10 vouchers
(a $20 value), which they may use for
curb-to-curb taxi service 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. Wheelchair-accessible taxis
also are available, if booked in advance.
This helps offset the cost of transportation,
particularly at night, when transportation
for seniors may be more difficult.
In addition to the taxi vouchers,
JF&CS provides a similar voucher service
for its Alterman/JETS transportation
program—a shuttle service that gives priority
to medical appointments, primarily
for the late morning and early afternoon.
JF&CS also has a voucher program with-
Karen Harvell
in Legacy Home Care, allowing older
adults to request a “transportation
escort”—a certified nursing assistant who
can accompany them for the duration of
their trip.
“These programs address an important
need for older adults in the community
and will provide an excellent means
for them to stay active and to move past
what may have been limitations to their
independence,” says Karen Harvell, the
Georgia NORC Initiative program manager
at JF&CS.
For more information, contact Jessica
Wilson, Toco Hills NORC coordinator, at
404-633-3033 or jwilson@jfcsatlanta.org.
The Toco Hills NORC works to help
fulfill social, emotional, and educational
needs for older adults and create opportunities
for them to engage their community
and obtain access to a wide range of
services.
Seniors in East Point may participate
in a reimbursement program for volunteer
drivers through East Point NORC; contact
Leslie Bridges, program coordinator,
at 404-762-2094 or leslie.bridges@fultoncountyga.gov.
In addition, the Meyer Balser NORC
in North Buckhead has short-notice medical
transportation vouchers and other
transportation discounts available to eligible
seniors; contact Anne Grabois-
Davis at 404-355-5696, ext. 2222, or
agdavis@meyerbalser.org.