Pro Action works to build a community of resilient individuals and families who can meet their basic needs, overcome adversity, and prosper.
January 8, 2020
In This Issue:
- Transportation: The Need, The Reach and The Impact
- Understanding Poverty
- Employment Opportunities
Transportation: The Need
Transportation is important not only for accessing healthcare, but also for employment, food and other basic necessities. People without a vehicle must rely on other means of transportation (i.e. other drivers, public transit where available, walking long distances), which can create additional barriers or hardships to getting where they need to be.
The mean travel time to work in Steuben County is 21.7 minutes and in Yates it is 22.5 minutes. Most commuters in both counties drive to work alone (79.5% in Steuben and 67.7% in Yates). At the same time, just 55.9% of households in Steuben and 56.3% of households in Yates have two or more vehicles available, limiting the ability to have more than one household member working. In addition, nearly 1 in 10 occupied housing units in the service area have no vehicle available.
The map to the right shows the percentage of households without a vehicle in Steuben and Yates Counties.
Source: American Community Survey; 2016 5-yr estimates
Transportation: The Reach
Yates County Transportation Services –
A lack of transportation can prevent people from attending important appointments, completing errands, shopping for necessities, and enjoying healthy and fun activities. Yates Office for the Aging doesn’t want any of our Yates County Seniors to miss out on these important aspects of daily living simply because they lack transportation. That’s why we offer trips for medical appointments (in and out of Yates County), as well as social trips for shopping, errands, special events, etc.
For more information, contact our Yates County Office for the Aging at: 315-536-5515.
Wheels for Work –
Our Wheels for Work Program helps people establish a consistent, reliable way to get to and from work each day so they can get or keep a job, and allows program participants to keep more of their earnings. (Serving Steuben County ONLY at this time).
With funding provided through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance in conjunction with the Steuben County Department of Social Services, we are able to provide services including: insurance payments, auto repair vouchers, registration fees and no interest loans.
Applicants of the program must meet eligibility requirements, including income criteria and be a current resident of Steuben County.
Transportation: The Impact of our Programs
In 2019, Yates County Transportation Services was able to provide the following:
- 353 seniors enrolled in Yates Safety & Transportation services
- 140 seniors received transportation to medical services
- 113 seniors received transportation to non-medical services
A total of 5,097 rides were provided through our transportation services.
Pro Action’s Bath Office is also able to act as a site where our community members can purchase monthly bus passes. We have sold 31 bus passes to customers for use on our 5 public transportation lines: CEATS, CTRAN, Steuben Transit, Steuben Area Rides, and Hornell Area Transit. Customers can visit our Employment and Training Department for information or to purchase passes.
In 2019, Wheels for Work was able to provide the 9 participants with car loan/repair or insurance grants that allowed them to obtain or retain employment.
Visit our website to learn more about these and all programs at Pro Action!
Understanding Poverty Separating the Myths and Facts
Myth: People without cars can just walk or take the bus anywhere they need to go.
Fact: The Steuben County Public Transport Plan states the following:
“There are 427.5 miles of road covered by public transit in Steuben County, which has a total of 3,147 miles of roads all together, which means only 13.6% of our county roads are covered by public transportation. While several transportation providers offer fixed-route services…, a majority of the county’s residents live outside those lines, or even outside the available route deviations that providers may offer. Volunteer driver programs and human service agencies try to meet the rest of the needs for residents who lack a car of their own or face other transportation barriers. There are pockets of poverty, elderly residents, and disabled individuals that are away from these major routes.”
(Data Source: American Community Survey 2017 5-year Estimates, retrieved from https://factfinder.census.gov/ , and Steuben County, provided).
In Yates County, there are 800 miles of roads, 99 of which are covered by public transportation via five routes through Yates Transit Services. Two organizations provide transportation services to specialized populations: ARC of Yates and Yates Office for the Aging.
View our full Community Needs Assessment, also available on our website.
An important part of Pro Action’s work is to build knowledge and understanding of the causes and conditions of poverty. Visit our website to learn more about how Pro Action is building a deeper understanding about the experience of poverty.
Employment Opportunities: Work With Us
Registered Dietician – Child Care Aware® of Steuben and Schuyler
Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc. is seeking applicants for the full-time position of Registered Dietitian within our Child Care Aware® of Steuben and Schuyler Program.
This position is 37.5 hours per week and is eligible for benefits which include health, dental and vision insurance, a retirement plan with employer contribution, 13 paid holidays per year, and generous paid time off and sick leave.
Responsibilities: This position is based in our Bath office and requires traveling across seven counties. The Registered Dietitian is responsible for supporting and providing professional development opportunities related to the Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Setting curriculum. The Registered Dietitian will work closely with child care center staff, parents and children to build a strong rapport that will increase their knowledge of the importance of making healthier choices. The goal of this position is assisting in the NYS Department of Health’s strategic plan for overweight and obesity prevention while maintaining the standards of funding choices and reporting requirements.
Qualifications: Must be a Registered Dietitian,certified with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and have experience providing nutrition education to children and adults. Must have a valid driver’s license meeting agency standards and consistent reliable transportation and pass a criminal background check. This position requires the ability to lift up to 30 pounds.
View our website for full descriptions and application instructions for our open positions. Pro Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc.
117 E. Steuben St. Bath, NY 14810
607-776-2125