Volunteer drivers needed for Multi-Service Centre program

Volunteer driver Barb helps Jean, a Tillsonburg Multi-Service Centre transportation services client, to her car. Due to increasing demand, more drivers are needed for the program. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

The Multi-Service Centre is looking for volunteer drivers for its transportation services program.

The program involves volunteer drivers taking local residents without a vehicle to medical appointments and completing regular tasks such as grocery shopping. Residents 55 and over are eligible for the program.

There are calls for about 500 drives per month. An average of another 50 are turned away per month because there aren’t enough drivers. The number of drives exceeds the Ontario Health funding for the service from the province by 50 per cent.

“The only reason we are able to do that is because of our amazing volunteers,” said Kathryn Leatherland, executive director of the Multi-Service Centre. “We know Tillsonburg is growing, and we need to grow our services with it.”

With this in mind, the Multi-Service Centre is looking to add to its fleet of 12 drivers.

“The demand for the program continues to grow,” Leatherland said. “We want to meet that demand every month and it’s becoming very challenging to do that.”

Being a volunteer driver is flexible, with volunteers setting their own schedule, having the ability to decide when and where they drive. Most of the need is Monday through Friday, but there is an occasional weekend request. Volunteers are paid mileage if they use their vehicle. There is also a need for drivers of the Multi-Service Centre’s two accessible vans, for which training is provided.

Although most ride requests are in town, there are some out-of-town medical appointments, mostly in Woodstock and London.

“We’re seeing a spike in out-of-town medical appointments and for dialysis - that’s life-sustaining and three appointments weekly,” Leatherland said.

Clients are invoiced for the rides, and it’s not the responsibility of the volunteer drivers to collect payment.

Jen Olcsvary, fundraising and community engagement coordinator with the Tillsonburg Multi-Service Centre, said retention is high amongst the existing 12 drivers.

“I think because it’s a rewarding position,” she said.

Besides increased demand, Leatherland said more drivers are also required if the existing volunteers take vacation or have personal commitments.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Olcsvary at 519-842-9008 Ext. 150 or through the web site at www.multiservicecentre.com/volunteer/