Mobility Matters: MyTARC Cards for Homeless

In recognition of National Transportation Week (May 13-19), let's help provide transportation access to those who don't have it. 

Why? Because Mobility Matters. 

Although transportation is something many of us take for granted, lack of transportation is a huge barrier to the homeless accessing critical services.

In January 2019, TARC moved to a smart card system and no longer accepts bus passes. In the past, bus passes were distributed to homeless persons by homeless advocates as a means of providing them the transportation necessary to access services. This is no longer a possibility. The re-loadable smart cards themselves cost $5.00 and that doesn't even include any money toward fares. I would like to be able to provide as many loaded MyTARC cards as possible. 

Says Andrea Scott, co-founder of UP for Women & Children (a day shelter for women founded in 2017):  "Transportation is an enormous barrier for those who are homeless, as they often depend on their two feet to get them everywhere; to and from emergency shelter everyday (7:00 am exit in the morning with 4:30 pm check in), to find food, look for work, try to find housing, and the list goes on. We have women that walk three miles just from emergency shelter to UP to shower, wash clothes, and have a safe space to be during the day. Access to a MyTARC card allows our women to more efficiently travel so they can utilize services such as medical or mental health care and gain and maintain employment."

Without transportation access, there is no access to anything else. People are quite literally stuck. Enter MyTARC cards.

MyTARC cards purchased through this fundraiser will be distributed between UP for Women & Children, the St. John Center for Homeless Men, and Fed with Faith. Actual distribution will depend on amount of funds raised and organizational need. Once collected, I will distribute the cards personally and report back to everyone who donated as to where they went!