(Columbia, Missouri, April 1, 2013) – OATS, Inc., a Missouri based not-for-profit transportation provider, announced today that it has received a grant from Boone Electric Community Trust totaling $20,000. In an effort to ensure Columbia residents are provided reliable transportation to allow them to live independently in their own community, Boone Electric Community Trust presented OATS, Inc. with a check on April 1.
Like OATS, Boone Electric Cooperative is headquartered in Columbia, MO, but also serves several other counties. “We are proud that OATS, Inc. can continue providing essential transportation to disabled and elderly individuals in Columbia,” said Boone Electric Trust Coordinator, Jessica Spencer. “This donation from the Boone Electric Community Trust is possible because of the generosity of Boone Electric’s membership. Cooperative members can round up their utility bills each month as a way to give back to their community. It is amazing to see how spare change positively impacts Boone Electric’s service territory,” added Spencer.
Transportation is often cited as a barrier for many seniors and people with disabilities seeking medical and other personal care needs. “We are grateful that companies like Boone Electric are dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve,” said Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director of OATS. “When a local business steps up and generously offers to help, like Boone Electric Cooperative has done, we are able to fulfill critical transportation needs,” added Yeager.
Last year, OATS provided 1.7 million rides to 33,769 Missourians covering 16 million miles. OATS helps people all over Missouri get to work, doctor appointments, essential shopping, and other places people need to go.
Funds from the Trust will allow OATS to restore partial service in Columbia that was lost last year due to changes in the Heart of Missouri United Way funding focus. Beginning this summer, OATS will provide transportation service for medical appointments and essential shopping to elderly and disabled Columbia residents.
OATS, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit corporation providing specialized transportation for senior citizens, people with disabilities and the rural general public in 87 Missouri counties. Governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, the organization has a staff of over 750 employees and a fleet of 700 vehicles statewide. The home office is located in Columbia, Missouri with seven regional offices located throughout the state. OATS has grown to be one of the largest and most unique systems of its kind in the country.
For more information about OATS, Inc., please visit their website at www.oatstransit.org. Residents wanting to find out more about receiving transportation services should call the OATS Mid-Missouri office at 573-449-3789.