Good news! Neighbor Ride is expanding eligibility for our Good Neighbor Fund to reflect the high cost of living in Howard County. This means more clients can qualify for fully subsidized (no-cost) rides — making it easier to stay connected and get where they need to go. In our last fiscal year, almost a third of all rides (over 5,800 trips) were provided at no cost to qualified clients through the Good Neighbor Fund. Together with the Driving Heroes program, which provides no-cost rides for veterans, and ride credits for vision appointments, 42% of all rides were no- or low-cost in our last fiscal year. And of course, Neighbor Ride fees are already only about 1/3 the price of commercial alternatives!

To enroll, clients complete a form about their income which is available on the website or by calling the office. The new guidelines go into effect on July 1, 2026, and we will be communicating with existing clients who may wish to apply under them.

Above, l to r: Mike Garzon, Francois Ngijoi, Bruce Fulton, Bita Dayhoff, Paul Gleichauf, Eric Benner, Jerry Reardon, China Williams, Hannah Zarzecki

Congratulations to departing board members and former board presidents Paul Gleichauf and Jerry Reardon, who were recognized by the Howard County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly and the Howard County Council at our recent board meeting! Eric Benner, District Director of the Office of Senator Guy Guzzone, and China Williams, Chief of Staff to Councilmember Deb Jung, attended to present them with their official citations for their service to Neighbor Ride and our community. 

Jerry wraps up six years of service on Neighbor Ride’s Board of Directors this month, including two years as Board President from 2021–2023. Joining first as a volunteer driver in June 2020, Jerry quickly stepped into leadership during a pivotal time. He helped guide Neighbor Ride through COVID — strengthening funding, launching food delivery partnerships with Howard County and the Community Action Council’s Howard County Food Bank, and advancing key technology and operational improvements. During his tenure, Neighbor Ride also expanded its board and successfully completed the Driving Forward Campaign, exceeding its fundraising goal. 

Paul joined Neighbor Ride as a volunteer driver in September 2015 and has been a dedicated member of the community ever since. In April 2024, he was named to the inaugural class of the Neighbor Ride Volunteer Hall of Fame in recognition of his unwavering commitment and care for older adults in Howard County. He joined the Board of Directors in November 2019 and will complete his maximum term on June 30, 2026, including serving as Board President from July 2023 through June 2025. During his leadership, Paul guided major milestones, including the highly successful Driving Forward Campaign, which exceeded its fundraising goal, and the 20th Anniversary Campaign in 2024. He also helped expand Neighbor Ride’s visibility, community partnerships, and board leadership.

Both Jerry and Paul continue to be active volunteer drivers, staying closely connected to the mission and impact they’ve helped shape. Thank you both for all that you give to Neighbor Ride!

Right photo: Mark Stoner, Andrea, and Bita Dayhoff

Andrea attended Grants Day at the Rotary Club of Columbia-Patuxent on June 19th, where Neighbor Ride was one of the nonprofits honored with a grant. Their Rotary Club has generously supported Neighbor Ride for many years, and currently we also benefit from the leadership and expertise of their membership, with three Rotarians from the club on our board: Bita Dayhoff, Mark Stoner, and Francois Ngijoi. 

Many thanks to these charitable business leaders for helping us go the distance to support seniors in Howard County!

On the 17th of each month, we ask that all volunteers display their magnet on their car throughout the day. Thank you!

Happy Summer!! We hope you have lots of fun activities planned. 

Please remember to enter your vacation dates in the portal so we don’t fill up your inboxes while you’re away. 

Check out our latest stats from April. 

• Ride requests received: 1,042
• Rides cancelled for no driver: 56
• Unfilled Ride Request Rate: 5.37%
• Ride requests completed: 846
• Clients served: 269
• Different volunteers providing a ride:  201 — A new record since the pandemic!

We appreciate our volunteers for helping us be out there on the roads each and every day for our clients!

We’re excited to share some news! Neighbor Ride has been evaluated by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest charity evaluator, and earned a Four-Star Rating. This is the highest possible rating on Charity Navigator. 

Charity Navigator’s impartial, third-party evaluation validates our organization’s effectiveness and reliability.

Click here to learn more about Charity Navigator and our rating.

This milestone achievement couldn’t have happened without you. Thank you for being part of our family as volunteers and supporters! 

Support Neighbor Ride through a car donation! It’s easy, and we accept all vehicles of any age or condition. Anyone can donate, no matter what state you live in!