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Community Participation Needed to Help VTC Foundation
Secure $25K State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant
Published: April 26, 2022 at
04:30 p.m.
By: Nick Altmire
The Volunteer
Transportation Center Foundation has been named one of 200 finalists across
the country in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program. The
local organization now has a chance to secure a $25,000 grant through the
program, with the help of the community. Over the next ten days, beginning
Wednesday, April 27, and ending on Friday, May 6, people will be able to
vote for their choice to receive one of 100 grants to be awarded, each for
$25,000. Individuals can cast 10 votes per day, per valid email address. To
vote for the VTC Foundation project click here, or use the QR
code provided below. For more information see our interview with VTC
Foundation Director Jeremiah Papineau here. Additional
information is also included in the press release below.
Scan QR Code to Vote for the VTC Foundation to
Receive a $25K State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant
Press Release from Volunteer Transportation Center
Foundation:
VTC Foundation Named Finalist for State Farm
Neighborhood Assist Grant
Only Nonprofit in Tri-County Area in Competition;
Voting Begins April 27
(WATERTOWN, NY) – The Volunteer
Transportation Center Foundation has been named a finalist in the State
Farm Neighborhood Assist grant program. The VTC Foundation is one of only
200 finalists and the only nonprofit organization in the running in
Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence Counties.
“We were ecstatic
to receive the news,” said Jeremiah S. Papineau, the nonprofit
organization’s Director of Communications and Foundation Director. “We’ve
regularly applied to be a finalist in this program
and it wasn’t until this year that we were selected. The program is highly
competitive, so to be selected and be the only nonprofit chosen in the
tri-county area, that’s spectacular.”
State Farm
Neighborhood Assist is “a crowd-sourced philanthropic initiative that
empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods,” according
to information provided by State Farm. The program allows for up to 200
finalists to compete for votes online from 12:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 27,
to 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 6. Those 18 years or older may cast 10 votes per
day by going to the VTC Foundation’s entry page, www.neighborhoodassist.com/entry/2042572
, simply entering a valid email address and choosing to cast their
virtual ballots for the VTC Foundation.
This year, odds
of winning are increased. Traditionally, the competition has awarded
$25,000 grants to the top 40 vote-getters. However, this year, in
observance of State Farm’s 100th anniversary, the top 100 finalists will
each receive $25,000.
The increased
odds, paired with how another nonprofit in the North Country won a $25,000
State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant in 2017, gives the VTC Foundation
great hope, said Mr. Papineau.
“The Lowville
Food Pantry won its grant thanks to great support from the community,
including their local State Farm agent, Tom Spaulding,” said Mr. Papineau.
“They proved it doesn’t matter if you’re a large nonprofit in a major metropolitan
area or a humble one in a more rural area like ours. All that matters is
people believe in your cause and cast their votes for you.”
The VTC
Foundation’s entry, if successful, will mean $25,000 in funding for the
Volunteer Transportation Center to provide transportation to non-emergent
medical appointments for those truly in need. The funding will be utilized
for volunteer driver mileage reimbursement for the VTC’s charitable
transportation programs – something for which there is greater need since
the VTC Foundation applied to be in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist
program.
“When we filed
our application, we were already seeing an increased need for funding,”
said Mr. Papineau. “Last year, we provided more than 1,000,000 miles of
charitable transportation for the first time. That increased need for
services presented an increased need for funding. And then, gas prices went
up.”
In response to
the rise in fuel prices, the VTC increased its charitable transportation mileage
reimbursement from $0.445 per mile to $0.50 per mile. The increase – which
went into effect March 4 – may not sound like much, said Mr. Papineau, but
it means a great deal when looking to the future.
“If you take that
1,000,000 miles and project the same number for this year, that’s roughly
an additional $55,000 we’ll need to raise to cover that expense,” he
explained. “So, that’s why this potential $25,000 from the State Farm
Neighborhood Assist program would mean even more, now.”
While voters may
cast up to 10 votes per day in the State Farm Neighborhood Assist program,
any unused votes at the end of each day do not rollover and will expire.
Each day, beginning at 12:00 a.m., voters may then again cast another 10
votes. The full rules for voting are available online at www.neighborhoodassist.com .
The VTC
Foundation was selected by The State Farm Review Committee from 4,000
submissions.
ABOUT STATE FARM
For 100 years,
the mission of State Farm has been, and continues to be, to help people
manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize
their dreams.
State Farm and
its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the
United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and approximately 53,400
employees serve over 87 million policies and accounts – which includes
auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and
financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage
for renters, business owners, boats and
motorcycles, is available.
State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of
companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of
largest companies.
For more
information, visit www.statefarm.com.
ABOUT THE
VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION CENTER
The Volunteer
Transportation Center, Inc. (VTC), established in 1991, drives thousands of
miles each year assisting community members in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties and beyond. Over the
last 30 years, this essential non-profit organization has provided rides to
health care appointments, food sources and other critical needs
destinations for residents.
In 2021, VTC
volunteer drivers provided 26,711 charitable trips over 1,073,435 miles in
Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. Of those miles, 470,002 helped
those in Jefferson County, 151,954
in Lewis County, and 451,479 in St. Lawrence County. That equated to
approximately $477,679 in mileage reimbursement for our volunteers.
The staff, boards
of directors and volunteer drivers look forward to a time when
transportation to community activities and services is accessible to all
North Country residents regardless of economic or specialized needs. But
for now the mission drives on — striving to
provide transportation to health, wellness and critical needs destinations
utilizing volunteers and mobility management for anyone who has barriers to
transportation.
For more
information about how you can help the Volunteer Transportation Center,
about its upcoming events, or to become a volunteer driver, contact the
agency in Jefferson and Lewis Counties at 315-788-0422, in St. Lawrence
County at 315-714-2034, in Oswego County at 315-694-6644, or Western New
York at 585-250-5030. Volunteers drive their own cars, set their own hours and receive mileage reimbursement but, more
importantly, make a difference in the community. To learn more, visit www.volunteertransportationcenter.org
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