Solving transportation problems for kids

The rolling hills and the beautiful plains are some of the hallmarks of what makes living in rural Southeast Missouri so appealing and satisfying. This fact is especially true in the fall as I would argue that it may be one of the most beautiful places in the world to live. Living rural does come with numerous price tags one of which is the need for adequate and reliable transportation. The Boys & Girls Club of the Heartland faces this need every day as we transport over 100 kids to the Club and then for those who need it the most, a ride home. Some of our kiddos’ parents do not have their own vehicles and would have to ride the bus home immediately after school if we did not provide transportation. A large percentage of our Club kids live in public housing and it can be challenging to ensure that get home safely at the end of the day.

Another seldom-seen effort of ours involves the award-winning Great Futures College Kids Program. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Doniphan High School sophomores ride a school bus to our Neelyville – Hillview Elementary Club site, where they join Neelyville High School students on BGCH busses to make the drive to the Three Rivers College campus. We continue to overcome the rural obstacle due to the incredible partnerships we enjoy with the Poplar Bluff, Doniphan, and Neelyville school districts. This is a prime example of when multiple entities come together to solve a problem that has incredible benefits for the only next generation of kids we have.

We are also blessed to enjoy a partnership with the Poplar Bluff Public Housing Authority and the Ozark Regional Planning Commission in numerous efforts. One is updating the Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Coordination Plan (PT-HST Plan) for our region of the state. The PT-HST Plan is necessary to comply with federal transportation requirements and to make the public transit programs in the area more efficient and effective. We realize that there are barriers that would prevent our Club members from using this transportation on a daily basis but it could drastically impact the lives of our Club members’ parents, grandparents, and guardians in a positive way. At the end of the day anything that is a positive impact on our Club members’ caregivers improves the lives of our kids.

I urge everyone to please take a moment and take the survey online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W3QVHD9 or if you do not have digital capabilities contact Poplar Bluff Housing Authority – Ross Program Coordinator Melody Ducote at (573) 785-8265 to ensure that you have the ability to take the survey.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Heartland is committed to doing whatever it takes to make great futures start here. Partnerships and a community effort from everyone throughout Southeast Missouri can make it possible to overcome any of barriers for the sake of our kids.

Chris Rushin in the chief executive officer of Boys and Girls Club of the Heartland, which currently serves Poplar Bluff and Neelyville school districts. Both are also served by the College Kids Program, as are students of the Doniphan School District.