J A N U A R Y 17
L E H A V R E
N E W S
Queens seniors get free transportation
under new program
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Photos by Suzanne Monteverdi/QNS
Councilman Paul Vallone and the fi rst senior to
receive a ride under the April pilot program
WWW.QNS.COM | JANUARY 2018 | LEHAVRE COURIER 17
A northeast Queens lawmaker’s initiative giving
seniors free access to transportation has expanded.
Councilman Paul Vallone and Selfhelp Community
Services announced that their transportation program
— which was previously only offered to seniors in
northeast Queens — will open up to seniors across
the borough. The program will officially launch on
Jan. 2.
In the new year, seniors throughout Queens can call
the Clearview Senior Center at 718-224-7888 from
9 a.m. to noon to schedule their rides to and from
medical appointments. Rides are limited to two long
distance or four local trips a month per person.
The expansion was made possible by a $10,000
grant awarded to Selfhelp Community Services by
the City Council’s Queens Delegation. The program
will conclude at the end of the grant funding.
The transportation program first launched in northeast
Queens with a pilot in April, followed by a full
launch in November. Funded by Vallone, it allowed
seniors living in the 19th City Council District, which
covers sections of Flushing, Whitestone, College
Point, Douglaston and Bayside, to schedule rides to
and from medical appointments through the Bayside
Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center.
Queens seniors face a lack of affordable and reliable
transportation options, the councilman noted.
“When I launched this program I hoped that
it would grow and expand beyond just northeast
Queens, and now that is starting to become a reality,”
Vallone said. “Seniors in our city, many of who live
on fixed incomes, are already faced with enough
hardships such as rising property taxes, costs of living
and stagnant funding for critical services. The last
thing they should have to worry about is how they’re
going to get to the doctor.”
Selfhelp, in partnership with Vallone, also recently
secured a $15,000 grant to expand the Virtual Senior
Center (VSC) to the entire borough. The program
allows home-bound older adults to connect with the
larger community using technology.
Seniors can take interactive, real-time classes in
topics ranging from art history to weight training.
Over 40 classes are typically offered per week in
English, Mandarin, Korean, and Russian.
Find out if you or someone you know is eligible for
VCS by calling 718-559-4460.
“Continued support from government is key to
enabling older New Yorkers to stay connected to the
communities they call home,” said Sandy Myers,
vice president of external relations and communications
for Selfhelp Community Services. “Our
transportation program, in partnership with Four
Two’s, will help address one of the most significant
challenges faced by older residents of Queens: the
lack of accessible and reliable transportation in parts
of our city.”
