Red Cross to drop Wichita ride service for elderly this summer

The American Red Cross in Wichita says it will discontinue its free ride services for elderly adults who need to go to and from doctor appointments, but says it has not yet found an agency to take over the service.

The free ride program donates 15,300 one-way trips each year to 600 residents, according to Michelle Jantz, executive director of the American Red Cross Midway Kansas Chapter.

That averages to 29 round-trip rides each weekday.

Jantz said the program would end June 17, so she hopes to find another organization that can take over rides before that date.

“We just have not been successful in finding another agency,” she said.

The Red Cross sent letters Feb. 4 and 5 to ride recipients, local elected officials, doctors’ offices and local nonprofits, she said.

Jeanne Kitchen, a 90-year old Wichita resident who uses the Red Cross ride service, said her daughter lives in Montana and her son in Alaska and said she doesn’t have family left in Wichita because her husband died 23 years ago.

But she said she’s fortunate to have a friend who can drive her to appointments if needed.

“It’s those people on dialysis I’m really concerned about,” she said.

“I know they need a lot of help.… Some of them are just not in very good shape.”

The Red Cross will host a stakeholder meeting in the next couple of weeks in hopes of finding an organization to give rides to the Red Cross recipients.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is not cause panic,” she said. “That’s why were pulling together the stakeholders to find a solution and that’s why we wanted to give them notice.”

The program offers the rides to residents 60 years old and older who live within Wichita for medical-related appointments.

The program costs $371,354 a year, paid for by United Way of the Plains, the Red Cross and property taxes.

The drivers volunteer their time and use vehicles owned by the Red Cross. The program requires three employees that together equal 2 1/4 full-time equivalents.

Jantz said the cancellation is part of a national Red Cross movement that started in 2014 to focus money and resources on core functions, such as disaster relief and blood donations.

National decision

Pat Hanrahan, president and CEO of United Way of the Plains, said he’s disappointed in the national decision to discontinue program when it helps so many people in need.

“It was a very good service to a population that is low income and elderly,” he said. “And many are either dialysis patients or cancer patients, so you’re talking about a very needy group of folks.”

He emphasized he wasn’t disappointed in the local Red Cross for carrying out directions from the national organization.

Hanrahan said the United Way and Red Cross hosted a meeting about a year ago to find a new organization for the ride service, but said no other groups stepped up.

“They have vehicles that have to be maintained, liability insurance, there’s staffing, cultivating of volunteers,” he said. “There’s a lot of details for a program like this.”

He said the Red Cross agreed to continue the program for one more year, but now needs a new organization before this summer.

Hanrahan said United Way would continue to give $188,816 for the program, if another organization takes over.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Red Cross to drop Wichita ride service for elderly this summer."