Kentucky now has more than 400 COVID-19 vaccination sites, but many elderly, disabled, or low-income residents don’t have transportation to get the vaccine.
A Bowling Green man taking a gap year between college and law school noticed the problem and created a free service to help fill the transportation void. The first ride provided by COVID Vaccine Transport is scheduled for Thursday, March 4.
The idea for the free transportation service grew from Blake Cleary’s job as a runner for a Bowling Green law firm, bringing legal papers to clients who couldn’t get to the office. He realized those same homebound people would likely face similar challenges getting to COVID-19 vaccination sites.
“And so that kind of snowballed into what it is now," said Cleary, 23. "I was like, I’m sure there will be people in the community, businesses in the community, who’d be willing to donate to a cause to provide free transportation to these people who desperately need it.”
Cleary is partnering with the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission, where Executive Director Alice Waddell said the project fits perfectly with the goal of serving low and moderate income residents.
“Really, pretty much about equal opportunity and access to underserved communities and people with disabilities, elderly people,” said Waddell.
In addition to the homebound elderly and people who may not have cars, plans are in-progress to provide rides for others who need them.
“We’re really trying to focus on the homeless population at the moment," said Cleary. "We’re in talks with a few organizations about getting word out to them, so we can hopefully pick them up and address another large need in the community.”
Cleary raised money from area businesses to fully fund rides to vaccine sites, provided by Dave’s Transportation Service, which specializes in non-emergency medical transport.
Information on rides is available online,by email, or by calling the Bowling Green Human Rights Commission at 270-782-7900.
