Libby Harville is one of the board members and drivers for Neighbors Driving Neighbors, an organization offering rides for those in need of transportation in Fayette and several other nearby towns. Submitted Photo

FAYETTE — For nearly a decade, Neighbors Driving Neighbors [NDN] has been a vital resource for residents in Fayette and surrounding towns, providing crucial transportation services in rural Maine. Founded in 2015, the program is run entirely by volunteers who donate their time, vehicles, and gas to help those in need.

“Neighbors Driving Neighbors was founded in 2015, so we are almost 10 years old,” said Joe Austin, executive director, in a phone interview. “It is a volunteer ride transportation program. All of our drivers are volunteers. They volunteer their cars, their time, gas, and we have close to 60 drivers. We then have about 100 clients, or riders, and they are all registered ahead of time. We will take them anywhere within a 30-mile radius of their home for anything: medical appointments, work, to get a haircut, or even just to get a cup of coffee.”

NDN serves the towns of Belgrade, Fayette, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Rome, and Vienna, providing an average of 130-140 rides per month. According to Austin, the program has been a “lifesaver” for many, particularly the elderly and those with limited mobility, helping them stay in their communities.

“The inspiration came from Dr. Dan Onion, who was a physician in the area,” Austin explained. “He was in conversation with Sandy Wright, who we just recognized from Mount Vernon, and Shelly Fitzgerald from Rome. They all recognized the need, patients were having to leave their homes because they didn’t have transportation and they had to move to a place that was more accessible. They did some research, wrote a couple of small grants, and started this program. Our first ride was in Dec. 2015.”

Beyond transportation, NDN helps combat social isolation, which is a significant issue in rural Maine. “I am one of two part-time employees, and we do the ride coordination,” Austin said. “I will talk to someone on the phone and figure out their ride, but we may spend another 15 minutes talking about anything because some people are isolated and don’t get a chance to talk to anybody. I may be the only person they talk to in two weeks.”

The demand in Fayette is growing, Austin noted. “The problem is public transportation is costly, and this volunteer program really fills a gap,” he said. “In Fayette, we have smaller numbers. We’ve got 12 registered riders and eight drivers right now. I would love to increase both of those numbers because we are just the tip of the iceberg. I think there is a much greater need than we are filling.”

President of Neighbors Driving Neighbors Harald Bredesen, left, and Joe Austin, executive director hope to attract more drivers for the program. Submitted Photo

Austin stressed the importance of recruiting more drivers. “The biggest challenge is finding drivers. They volunteer, and there is no obligation for a driver to take a quota of riders. It is up to them,” he said. “There are times of the year, during holidays when people are busy and summer when people are on vacation; that it is when it is hard to schedule rides. That’s the biggest challenge.”

The program’s recruitment efforts are ongoing, but reaching isolated individuals can be difficult. “We recruit via newspapers, craft fairs, and newsletters. We have a presence at craft fairs, but it is a little bit tricky,” Austin said. “The population we are trying to reach is often very isolated and doesn’t use social media. We also try to work with providers who recognize the need.”

NDN also assists with grocery and food bank deliveries for those unable to leave their homes. “We will deliver groceries and food from food banks. People in Fayette that can’t leave the home; that is a big help,” Austin shared. “We have people who live alone and have multiple appointments per week. Just knowing they can call one place to coordinate rides is a lifesaver.”

Looking ahead, Austin expressed a desire to see the program grow, but not necessarily by expanding to more towns. “We have requests from other towns to see if we would expand our coverage area,” he said. “The way to grow it long-term is not necessarily to increase the number of towns we serve because then it becomes too big. Right now, we are Neighbors Driving Neighbors, and it is literally neighbors driving neighbors, which is kind of the charm of this whole thing.”

For those interested in supporting NDN, whether as a volunteer driver or through donations, Austin encourages them to get involved and contact NDN at 207-860-0677 or email neighborsdrivingneighbors@gmail.com.