Our Story
Older adults urgently need reliable and affordable transportation.
Deaconess Associations Foundation, in partnership with the Vision Coalition, has recently signed on as the 14th affiliate of the Independent Transportation Network®, known as ITNAmerica®. Trained volunteers help older adults remain independent by driving them to appointments, shopping or even out for lunch. A membership program with a pre-paid Personal Transportation Account™, ITN is a door-through-door service which includes help with steps and packages, heavy doors and walkers. Now in its fourteenth year, ITN recreates the comfort and convenience of private auto ownership and will supplement existing transportation system in Greater Cincinnati.
"Deaconess has long been associated with services for the older adult," says Pat Ward, Executive Director of the Deaconess Associations Foundation. "Deaconess focus groups indicated that transportation ranks as the number one issue for older adults. They want to remain active without inconveniencing relatives and friends. Studies pointed to ITNAmerica as a solution. Coincidentally, members of the Vision Coalition were also studying ITN, and it made sense to work together to offer this service to Cincinnati."
ITNAmerica was founded by Katherine Freund, who has been named "one of the twelve people who are changing you retirement" by the Wall Street Journal. In 1988, Freund's three-year-old son was struck by a car and was almost killed. The driver was 84 years old. Freund became dedicated to identifying an alternative to driving that older people would find attractive and that would approximate what they are giving up. Since its inception with ITNPortland™, the transportation system, which uses a combination of volunteer and paid drivers, has expanded to 14 sites in nine states. Cincinnati is the only affiliate in Ohio.