Driving Change: Support Accessible Transportation Before the Year Ends

By Jill Federico


 While working with medical transportation companies, I’m often asked: Is scaling our business possible? Should we consider becoming a nonprofit? How fast should we aim to grow? And, perhaps most critically, how do we acquire both vehicles and qualified drivers? These are complex questions, and the answers often hinge on a mix of creativity, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment to service. One example of an organization successfully navigating these challenges is the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley, CA.

CIL has become a beacon of hope for individuals with disabilities, blending advocacy and practical solutions to create a business model that transforms lives. Founded in 1972, this nonprofit has tackled the logistics of accessible transportation and community support with remarkable success. Their work proves that with a clear mission and a focus on inclusion, scaling to meet the needs of your community is absolutely achievable.

A shining example of their efforts is their transportation service, Easy Does It. This vital program provides reliable and accessible transportation to those with mobility challenges, enabling them to attend medical appointments, run errands, or simply participate in daily life. Easy Does It represents the heart of CIL’s mission, combining thoughtful service delivery with innovative problem-solving to ensure everyone in the community has access to the transportation they need.

In addition to Easy Does It, CIL offers personalized services such as mobility training and access to assistive technology. These programs empower individuals to lead independent, connected lives, showing how organizations in our field can turn seemingly insurmountable challenges into opportunities for meaningful change.

As professionals in medical transportation, we know how crucial accessible transit is for health, well-being, and social connection. Supporting organizations like CIL and programs like Easy Does It reflects our shared values and amplifies our collective impact.

With just one day left in the year, now is the perfect time to make a tax-deductible donation to help CIL continue its incredible work. Your contribution can directly support their mission of empowering individuals with disabilities, ensuring they have the tools, resources, and transportation they need to thrive.

Let’s end the year on a high note by giving back and making a difference in the lives of so many.

Read the full article
Donate to the Center for Independent Living

Let’s celebrate the transformative power of accessible transportation and rally together to support CIL’s mission before the year ends!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Cracks in the Foundation: What ICE Raids Reveal About Background Checks in the Sharing Economy

By Jill Federico
Since the early days of the peer-to-peer and sharing economy boom, platforms like Uber, Lyft, Turo, and Airbnb have promoted one key selling point: trust. I know this firsthand—I worked at Digisure , a company built around enabling that very trust. We provided identity verification, fraud detection, and insurance services for platforms that promised safety without owning assets. The premise was simple: by offering robust background checks, user verification, and community reviews, platforms could create a safe, decentralized ecosystem where strangers could share cars, homes, and even pets. But the recent ICE raids targeting rideshare lots—many focused on Uber and Lyft drivers—have revealed a troubling truth: the trust infrastructure we assumed was secure may have been paper-thin all along. Background Checks in Name Only? While Uber and Lyft claim to perform background checks on all drivers, what's becoming clear is that these checks did not always include verification of legal work...
Read more

The Power of Presence: Why Industry Conferences Still Matter in Your Omnichannel Marketing Mix

By Jill Federico
Image
In a world awash with digital ads, perfectly segmented email campaigns, and meticulously orchestrated account-based marketing (ABM) strategies, you might ask: Do industry conferences still have a place in a modern enterprise’s omnichannel marketing plan? The answer, in my experience, is a resounding “yes.” Conferences offer a one-of-a-kind level of authenticity and personal connection that’s nearly impossible to replicate online. They transform your brand from a static logo on a screen into a dynamic industry player—one that listens, responds, and engages in real time. In 2023, I crisscrossed the country to attend more than ten industry events. I won’t lie, the travel was grueling, and I carried a product so challenging to position that even a legendary salesperson—one who could sell raincoats in the Mojave Desert—would’ve struggled. However, those face-to-face meetings yielded insights and relationships that no digital channel could match, helping us adapt our messaging, refine our of...
Read more