A Reality Check!

At Providence we get to know our riders personally. They are happy to have a job and to have a ride to work but sometimes it can lull us into thinking "they are all set now".

Yesterday gave us a deeper insight with how difficult their lives can be. One Rider did not have $2 for the bus to take him to work until after work when he get's paid. I offered to take him so he would not lose his job. This is when I really began to see what it is like for him to get to work. . I picked him up at his home and he explained his bus pickup is over a mile and a half. As I drove by the bus stop and rode to East Syracuse, he pointed out where the bus dropped him off in East Syracuse. I asked him,"So it is a short walk from here to work?" As I continued to drive I realized the supposed 20 minute walk was more like 40 minutes. I imagined if it was me making the walk dodging traffic, how would I feel knowing I had 8 hours of heavy lifting ahead.

As I was sitting down for dinner a call came from the first man's coworker. We drive him home at 10 PM but he was violently ill and needed to go to the emergency room but he had no one to help him to get there. I sent our Livery to East Syracuse and, although it was not in our budget, he got to Crouse.

I share this to point out the challenges facing working people with no safety net.

We are part of the safety net but we need others to walk along side us. Will you join us?

Please Share what we are doing and Join us as we help our neighbors.