Connection Drives the Difference
For Cass County Volunteer Driver Debra McDowell, It’s the People Who Make the Miles Matter
When Debra McDowell first signed up to drive for New Growth Transit, she had a practical reason.
The mileage reimbursement really appealed to her.
About a year later, Debra says the reimbursement and flexibility are still important benefits of being a volunteer driver. But something else has become just as important: the people she meets along the way.
“I’ve met some pretty neat people,” Debra said.
Debra has lived in Cass County for about 40 years and knows the area well. Before becoming a volunteer driver, she worked in customer service for CVS Caremark, helping people navigate questions about prescriptions and pharmacy insurance.
It was work that taught her a lot about the challenges people can face getting the health care and medications they need. It also gave her an opportunity to do something she has continued to value: help people.
After leaving that job, Debra came across information about New Growth Transit on Facebook. She called to learn more and decided to give volunteer driving a try.
“And it actually works out pretty good,” she said.
More Than a Ride
As a New Growth Transit volunteer driver, Debra uses her own vehicle to provide rides for people who otherwise may struggle to get where they need to go. She chooses which trips fit her schedule, giving her the flexibility to decide when and how often she drives.
Along the way, she has gotten to know some of her riders.
One of them is a very sweet lady named Bonnie.
The first time Debra picked Bonnie up, she noticed Bonnie was struggling with a walker that wasn't working properly. Debra remembered that she still had a walker that had belonged to her late husband.
So, on the way home, Debra stopped by her house and got it for Bonnie.
“She was so appreciative,” Debra recalled. “It just made me feel good to be able to help her that little bit.”
For Debra, it wasn't a big gesture. For someone who needed a working walker, it mattered.
“That made me feel good,” she said. “So that’s another reason why I do this.”
Those connections can make a difference during the ride, too.
Debra has picked up riders who were sick, discouraged or simply having a difficult day. Sometimes, she sees a change during the time they spend together.
“I’ve actually had people in the car that were very down and out,” she said. “They’re sick. They don’t feel good. But then when they get out of the car, they have a smile on their face.”
A Flexible Way to Help Your Neighbors
When Debra talks to others about becoming a volunteer driver, one benefit immediately comes to mind: flexibility.
“You pick and choose when you work, ”she said. “And who has that opportunity?”
Volunteer drivers can decide when they are available and which trips work for them. For Debra, that means she can leave a day open each week for her own appointments and responsibilities while driving on other days when it fits her schedule.
But she also points to something that can be harder to put a value on.
Driving gets her out of the house. She sees different parts of the region. She meets people she otherwise might never have known. And sometimes those people begin to feel less like strangers and more like friends.
“You get to go and meet different people that actually you might even make a friend out of,” she said.
After about a year behind the wheel for New Growth Transit, Debra knows whether the role suits her.
“I truthfully like it,” she said. “I enjoy it because I like to meet different people.”
For New Growth Transit, volunteers like Debra make transportation possible. They provide more than miles between a rider's home and destination. They provide a familiar face, conversation and a helping hand along the way.
And sometimes, they provide a smile at the end of a difficult day.
Become a Volunteer Driver
New Growth Transit is looking for more volunteer drivers to help provide transportation in Cass County and across west central Missouri.
Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles, choose when and where they want to drive, and receive mileage reimbursement to cover the cost of providing rides. New Growth Transit coordinates the rides and scheduling.
Interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer driver? Visit newgrowthtransit.org or call 417-283-7991, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Can’t drive but still want to help? You can still fuel the journey.
Your donation helps reimburse the miles our volunteers give with their time and hearts.
Or mail donations to:
New Growth Transit
c/o West Central MO Community Action Agency
112 W 4th St, Appleton City, MO 64724
Together, we’re giving rural neighbors a lift—one mile, one story, one life at a time.