Older adults who live alone or in rural parts of Santa Clara County face isolation and its detrimental health effects. For those struggling with transportation options, the Sourcewise Transit Service provides free, door-to-door rides for seniors who have difficulty with ambulation, are isolated, and who do not have other available transportation options.

“It’s made a difference in my life. It’s perfect and helpful to me,” shares Mary Elmsry, a Sourcewise Transit Service rider.

The Service enhances transportation access for 11,574 South County residents aged 65+ in need of connections to Senior Centers in Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Sourcewise currently provides transportation for 50 seniors.

“When seniors give up driving, it impacts their mobility and affects their social connectedness,” says Rosie Jimenez, Director of Sourcewise South County.

Since its April launch, the Sourcewise Transit Service has provided 3,560 rides as of Dec. 31, 2017.

Sourcewise is partnering with the Mercury Wishbook who highlights the needs of our community and encourages philanthropy to meet those needs.

Some 90 percent of Silicon Valley’s philanthropic dollars exit the Bay Area, according to “The Giving Code”—a report about Silicon Valley philanthropy released by the Packard Foundation in 2016. Packard Foundation CEO Carol Larson says David Packard‘s and John A. Sobrato’s philosophies were: “If you live here, you give here. If you work here, you give here,” reports Sal Pizarro in The Mercury News on Dec. 4, 2017.

Help Sourcewise raise $20,000 to offset costs of maintaining the vehicles: oil changes, fuel, and major wear replacement.

Support the Sourcewise Transit Service with a contribution of any size by visiting http://wishbook.mercurynews.com/2017/source. Or mail a check to: The Mercury News Wish Book Fund, 4 N. 2nd Street, Suite 800, San Jose, CA 95113.