Touching Story from our Team

One of our staff members who doesn't typically take calls from riders received a touching request that really highlighted why we do what we do at New Growth Transit. His name is changed to protect privacy, but this is her story.

I took a call from an area hospital care representative who was helping a client, “Frank.” When I called Frank and explained who I was and why I was calling, suddenly his whole tone changed. He was relived and happy.

Living alone, Frank is an 82-year-old veteran who is so dependent on oxygen that during power outages, he has even lost consciousness because his tank couldn’t recharge. On top of that, at some point he broke his femur that can’t be surgically repaired due to his severe oxygen dependency, which means he has to live with a broken leg for the remainder of his life.

Frank was very grateful for the opportunity to get rides to his medical appointments. We talked for a little while and he told me that he depended on neighbors to take him shopping. He mentioned that he hadn’t been to the store and was surviving on sardines and crackers. I asked if he had enough to get through the weekend. I explained that we can take him shopping and he didn’t have to go without. While we talked, I texted one of our drivers to explain what was going on and the driver offered to take Frank to the grocery store the next morning.

Frank had also mentioned his shoes had worn out so I booked a ride for the following weekend to go to the grocery store and the shoe store.

It’s easy for people to feel removed from the reality of the isolation of others. Like it isn’t real. Some days we get caught up in our own problems. Talking to people like Frank makes me grateful that I’m a part of New Growth Transit. When people call us to schedule rides, I hope they know that this is not just a job to us. They are important. We really do care and want to help them.

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If you’d like to help too by being a volunteer driver, call us at 417-283-7991

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Or download a driver application at https://www.newgrowthmo.org/transit#volunteer-drivers

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