We had an overwhelming response to the Volunteer Survey –  we heard from 106 of you! We’re also overwhelmed with joy by your feedback:

• 99% are satisfied with the overall volunteer experience, and 92% said “Very Satisfied”
• 100% said the Volunteer Role meets their expectations, and 68% said “Exceeded”
• 100% feel the organization values them, and 99% said  “Definitely”

Replies to the question What do you love most about Neighbor Ride? included the following:

How it has allowed me to show that I care in a tangible way.

Talking to my riders. They are always VERY NICE people!

The ease and convenience with which to make a difference in the      community

We’ll be posting a full report on the website this month, and in our next issue of The Driver we will share how we plan to address your feedback about program improvements.

Thank you to everyone who participated! We appreciate the time and thoughtful attention you gave to sharing your experiences and ideas. We want to make your volunteer experience the best it can be! You make Neighbor Ride such a wonderful organization, and our clients see it shine through every day.

We’re celebrating Patrice all month before her retirement on September 3. She’s pictured here with driver Debbie Collier, who brought her some adorable car-shaped chocolates! 

Please click below to sign her Happy Retirement card if you can, by September 8 at 8 am.

Marilyn O’Loughlin has been a Thursday Ride Coordinator since 2010. A Hall of Fame Ride Coordinator and driver, she will transition to a substitute Ride Coordinator role at the end of August. Her 20 years of service are remarkable and deeply appreciated.

Hall of Fame Ride Coordinator Fred Bondroff will move to a substitute Ride Coordinator position this month. Fred has served as a Tuesday Ride Coordinator since 2015. We are grateful for his hard work and dedication!

We are delighted that Mary Kelty and John DePola will step into weekly Ride Coordinator roles in September after serving as substitute Ride Coordinators.

Please join us in thanking Marilyn and Fred for their remarkable service and congratulating Mary and John on their new roles!

Marilyn (above left) with Patrice and Hall of Fame volunteer Jean Weinstein, who brought in some delicious zucchini bread.

Fred (far right in the right-hand photo) on his last day, with (l to r) Bruce, Patrice, John DePola, and Harriet Pahn, part of our Tuesday RC team.

Bruce recently joined our volunteer program sponsors, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors, on their Healthy, Wealthy & Wise podcast. In this engaging conversation, Bruce shares how community partnerships help strengthen services for older adults and discusses Neighbor Ride’s role in supporting retirees’ health, independence, and well-being. Be sure to give it a watch!

Did you know Howard County has an active Cycling Without Age chapter? Based at Sunrise of Columbia, the CWA program provides free trishaw rides driven by volunteers, giving participants the chance to enjoy outdoor experiences, connect with nature, and interact across generations.

The program is already seeing wonderful results and is looking for additional volunteers. This fall, the chapter plans to expand services to more Howard County residents. Interested in volunteering or taking a ride? Learn more about Cycling Without Age here.

We recently spotted Jim Phillips out on the road! Jim joined in 2024 and wasted no time making an impact. By 2025, he had already earned his 50+ Driver milestone and is one of our top-volume drivers.

Thank you, Jim, for going the extra mile and making a difference in our community.

Neighbor Ride was honored to receive a generous $1,000 donation to our Good Neighbor Fund from First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ellicott City, for the second year in a row.

The congregation gave Andrea a very warm welcome when she visited to accept the gift. Special thanks to volunteer driver Michele Wray (pictured, left) for helping make this partnership possible, and to the many past, present, and (hopefully) future Neighbor Ride volunteers who are part of this wonderful faith community.

Has a particular concert caught your eye? You’re in luck because single ticket sales are here! Look at the season schedule and grab your favorites.

Thanks to everyone who stepped up and covered rides while fellow volunteers were traveling this summer!

As fall approaches, please remember to update your volunteer schedule if your availability is changing.

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

Check out our latest stats from June. 

• Ride requests received: 974
• Rides cancelled for no driver: 47
• Unfilled Ride Request Rate: 4.83%
• Ride requests completed: 790
• Clients served: 239
• Different volunteers providing a ride:  181

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

Did you know a donation to Neighbor Ride could have twice the impact? Many employers offer programs that will match charitable contributions made by employees, retirees, and sometimes their spouses. Some also match volunteer hours with a donation through a “Dollars for Doers” program.

A matching gift is an easy way to help provide more for older adults in our community, all at no additional cost to you. Check with your employer to see if they participate, and help your generosity go the extra mile!

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!