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Tasks for Transit is in a growth spurt! In 2017, we plan to more than double the number of bus day passes we distributed in 2017.

From March 2015 to September 2017 

Number of charities supported = 18

WRTA day passes dispensed = 1920

What is a Partner Charity?

TFT's Partner Charities distribute the WRTA individual bus day passes. Since TFT is trying to assist the economically disadvantaged, TFT chooses partners that service this type of client on a daily basis. Partner Charities have the understanding and experience necessary to recognize a person and his or her situation that justifies dispensing a free individual day pass. These Partners Charities are typically 501(c)(3) organizations, not able to provide transportation to their clients.. TFT enables them to do that.

The eighteen organizations currently TFT Partner Charities are:

   What we are doing is fundamental. We hope you feel the same way. 

If your organization would like to become one of TFT's partner charities, please take our on-line survey.

On September 9, 2017, Tasks for Transit held a yard sale in the parking lot of our office at 379 Greenwood Street, with permission from the building’s owner, Gina's Antiques. The weather had been a source of concern with the possibility of two hurricanes reaching New England, but the weather on the day of the sale was perfect: sunny but not too warm and no rain or gusty winds.

We had been planning and preparing for this sale all summer long. My wife, Donna, and I went to the ends of many yard sales, suggesting that if anything was going to be discarded or given away at the end of their sale, that we should be considered. The result was a ton of donations. Even then we were aware of the obvious assumption we were making, that we were going to try to sell what others couldn't sell for lack of demand! Why did we think we could do any better?! The net effect was that both our garage at home and my office were buried waist-high in stuff that had to be sorted and priced. The variety was staggering; we were way overstocked with kid’s toys and household things!

The other thing we did all summer was to ask for other people’s help. Some donated their time. Some lent us tables and others donated salable items, including valuable collectibles (kept out of the yard sale, and put on Craigslist). Three lent both trucks and labor! When the actual day came we had 15 to 18 volunteers helping with the setup, the day-long activity and the cleanup. We started with nine tables of our own plus another six lent by Marty Moore, who also donated a lot of stuff. My landlord, Bill LaPan, who runs Gina's Antiques, supplied another six tables. It took over two hours to setup and, even with over 20 tables, there were boxes still full on the ground.

Photo Source: Breanna Winberg

Apples and mandarin oranges were free for the volunteers as well as for sale. Homemade oatmeal, chocolate chip and chocolate crinkle cookies were also sold. Many of the volunteers were with us all day, from start to finish, including Annette Matthew-Bennett, a woman whom I had met just the previous week (Multicultural Wellness Center, a new client), and her daughter.

  

Despite conscious efforts to organize the area by categories of things being sold, it was almost impossible to manage the chaos of such a large sale. We quickly decided to have multiple bankers because of the steady traffic of buyers. We had done a variety of things to promote the sale in advance including paper flyers and various internet postings. We got several free notices from the local newspaper, The Chronicle. It all paid off. When the day was over we had raised $850! It was also good publicity and gained TFT some name recognition. When it was all over, I went home and slept for 12 hours!

The success of this sale would have been impossible without the collective efforts of the volunteers. We want to thank all of them again. They seemed to enjoy the day and it was for a good cause. We have posted their names on our website. Thank you, volunteers, from the bottom of our hearts.   

Tasks for Transit must raise considerably more funds to stay on our plan for 2017 and to continue to expand our operations in 2018. Preliminary estimates show that our overall annual budget will increase from $7,482 in 2017 to $16,709 in 2018. In addition to encouraging personal and corporate donations, we plan to put much more emphasis on applications for competitive grants. We have compiled a list of 48 potential organizations making such grants, that have expressed an interest in human services for the economically disadvantaged.

More information about Tasks for Transit may be found at our  website.

    Visit Our Website

Click Here to Learn More

We Need Your Support!

We see Tasks for Transit as a fundamental charity trying to meet one essential need of the economically disadvantaged: safe and dependable transportation for persons who would otherwise have to walk. While walking is an alternative, it is a burden for the handicapped, a daunting alternative for everyone in foul weather and an unsafe alternative at night. 

 

We are hoping you will support our efforts with a generous donation. One way to do that is to go to our Crowd Funding page on youcaring.com.

 We continue to be an all-volunteer organization with no employee costs and no office costs. You can be confident that 99% of your donations will go directly to purchase day passes.

Sincerely,

Brian Manning and Steve McClure

Tasks for Transit

379 Greenwood Street, Suite 4

Millbury, MA 01527

Email:  [email protected]

617-851-0313

  We also have a Post Office Box

Tasks for Transit

PO Box 70544

Worcester, MA 01607

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