Last October a van, owned by Advocates for the Homeless and Those in Need (AHTN), was transporting eight people from a local Church dinner and was wrecked in an accident on New Falls Road.
Medics transported 11 people to area hospitals for treatment and evaluation. AHTN also needed a new transport bus and soon with the Code Blue season upon it.
The non-profit is geared towards assisting displaced people in Lower Bucks County and is fueled by the determination of a small group of committed and passionate volunteers. AHTN also coordinates with local faith-based organizations for community meals often providing transportation for up to 30 members through multiple trips.
In late 2022, Reach Out Foundation, based in Penndel, opened up a Drop-In Center that provides displaced persons a number of resources- cell phone charging stations, support groups and resource linkage to name a few. AHTN, from the outset, provided important pick up and drop off services to the center.
AHTN recently purchased a replacement van that can transport up to 15 passengers, officials said in a social media post, so they could continue to provide transportation to and from Code Blue, sit-down community meals and the drop-in services. However, there is a gap between the insurance company payment and the remaining balance of $2000.00, said AHTN Managing Consultant, Karen Mineo.
New 2023 15-person Transport Van AHTN Purchased Credit: Submitted
She’s concerned about the non-profit’s overall operating budget, raising funds to fill the transit bus gap, and how it will impact the running of other missions in which the organization is focused.
The community has been incredibly generous with their donations, Mineo said.
“We depend on the community to raise half of our budget grants; we apply for the other half…. With this accident and the van being totaled at the same time, she said, we are trying to raise funds to cover our costs.”
Mineo said AHTN is also seeking volunteers for Code Blue nights and to drive their wheelchair-based service vehicle. She said a CDL is not required to drive the bus, just some free time. She said, anyone interested in volunteering can visit the volunteer portal for more information
Volunteers are the backbone of every successful mission we focus on, she said.
You can donate to the transport vehicle effort by clicking here.
AHTN Volunteers Getting Ready for Code Blue Season
Credit: Submitted