The state has awarded more than $150,000 to Vineyard nonprofits in order to expand transportation services for older adults and people with disabilities. 

The Healey administration announced three grants for Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard and the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living on March 5 as part of a $5.8 million grant initiative for projects across the state. 

Cindy Trish, the executive director of Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard, said that transportation is one of the most important areas to support older adults.

“Transportation becomes a critical barrier to having a quality of life. All of our data consistently shows the importance of transportation for access to healthcare and equity to access,” she said. “After Covid, we wanted people to have the ability to connect to their community, see their friends, get their hair done.”

Two of the grants will go towards programs that Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard helps run. One will give $76,000 towards funding the organization’s mobility manager. The position, which is currently held by Lisa Stewart, is an all-Island resource that helps connect people to transportation options available across the Island.

The second grant will put $50,000 towards the shuttle programs run by Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard and Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority.

Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard helps provide a variety of transportation options for older adults on Island, including a shuttle that will begin in April for people living up-Island. The shuttle program, which will be overseen by the up-Island Council of Aging, brings people to Vineyard Haven and Edgartown to visit the post office, grocery store and pharmacy.

The funding from the Healey administration will fund that program as well as MV Connect, a program that connects volunteer drivers with older adults to help get them to different locations and build a stronger community.

“We have public transportation through the VTA which is fabulous, but not everybody can take it,” Ms. Trish said. Ms. Trish listed people’s houses being too far to walk or a stop or someone recovering from a knee replacement as examples of people whose needs are not met by the bus routes. “Our job is to find those gaps and support.”

Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living also received $27,610 to fund its shopping shuttle. The shuttle takes people to Tisbury, Edgartown and Oak Bluffs throughout the week to do their shopping, go to the pharmacy, library and other locations. According to Leslie Clapp, the center’s executive director, the program is currently serving about 15 people a week.

“It’s a really great service to the community. We hope to expand it at some point,” she said. “This makes the community accessible to people for longer.”