Driving our Community

Founded in 2004, Neighbor Ride is the only organization in Howard County that specifically focuses on providing one-on-one caring transportation for older adults. For over 19 years, Neighbor Ride has used the power of volunteers to coordinate and provide transportation for Howard County seniors, age 60 and over – decreasing isolation and giving vulnerable older adults the “wheels” they need to stay healthy and remain actively engaged in the life of our community.

Serving Older Adults

Neighbor Ride provides subsidized transportation for Howard County seniors, with those who are low-income riding at no cost through our Good Neighbor Fund. Each year, our volunteers coordinate and provide over 15,000 trips for medical appointments, shopping, social outings, and other needs. Initially responding to needs rising out of the pandemic, Neighbor Ride now also offers delivery services in collaboration with the Howard County Food Bank and the Loan Closet of Howard County that ensure homebound seniors have access to food and essential medical supplies.

The Challenge

Between 1960 and 2060, there will be a seismic shift in the population of the United States – with older people projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history.  Locally, this shift is well under way, with projections indicating that by 2030, one in five Howard County residents will be aged 65+ and 8,000 will be 85+, double the number in that age group today. Based on current numbers, at least 5.6% of these older adult residents will live below the Federal Poverty Level, and 24.5% will live below Howard County’s ALICE Threshold – the minimum household income level necessary for survival.

With these shifting demographics, we know that more and more older adults will face the challenge of being unable to drive. How will they stay healthy, maintain their independence, or stay connected to the people and activities that make their lives whole? For too many, especially those without reliable access to transportation, there is the risk that social isolation will become a reality – causing a devastating ripple effect on physical health and mental well-being.

Our Vision

At Neighbor Ride we believe that:

1. Every older adult should enjoy the full benefits of being connected to people, services, and activities that add meaning and value to their lives.
2. Volunteers deserve rewarding work that fits into their lives and contributes to our community.
3. Our community benefits when individuals of all ages can play active and productive roles.

Centered by these beliefs, we strive to continue to expand our unique capability to offer local transportation that benefits the health and well-being of Howard County’s older adult residents and strengthens our community as a whole. For nearly 20 years we have built and expanded our services around our greatest assets, our volunteers, and our community partners. We have also made significant investments in our state-of-the-art Ride Match platform that further empowers our volunteers and community partners.

Through these “pillars” – volunteers, partners, and technology, we have grown to providing more than 17,000 trips per year while expanding our services to better meet the needs of our fast-growing older adult population – adding new services including food bank and medical equipment deliveries as well as wheelchair accessible transportation to local medical appointments. We are excited to continue to grow and evolve our partnerships, harness technology to bolster our work, and remain in awe of the incredible difference our volunteers make possible.

Your investment makes it possible for Neighbor Ride to meet the growing need for age-friendly transportation that decreases isolation and provides the support older adults need to remain healthy, active, and independent. HOW you give impacts the work that we do today, tomorrow, and forever. Together, we can make a lasting impact and build a stronger, more compassionate community for generations to come.