def #56 04/07/2009
TRANSPORTATION MINIGRANTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED;
PROGRAM FUNDING MODIFIED
TOMS RIVER _ Twenty-five non-profit organizations will share in the distribution of $69,600 in grant funding from
Ocean County to help provide transportation to the elderly and disabled.
“This program is now in its 24th year,” said Freeholder Gerry P. Little, who serves as liaison to the county’s
public transportation system known as Ocean Ride. “And although it has met some changes this year, we are still pleased to
be able to distribute these grants.”
In recognition of the fact that Ocean County’s 2009 casino grant reflects an 11 percent reduction from the 2008
grant, the Ocean County Transportation Advisory Committee recommended that the transportation minigrant allocations be
reduced by five percent bringing the maximum grant award to $2,850.
“This measure was recommended to avert more drastic measures should the County receive additional cuts from the state’s
casino fund in coming years,” Little noted. “Further, given recent earnings reports from the Atlantic City casino industry,
the committee recommended to place a one-year suspension on considering new applicants, since doing so would place an
additional strain on the minigrant program in future years.”
The Advisory Committee endorsed a total of 25 project applications for total funding of $69,600.
Grant recipients and grant amount are:
The Arc, Ocean County Chapter, Inc., $2,850; Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, $2,850; Community Medical Center
Foundation, $2,850; Community Services, Inc. of Ocean County, $2,850; Easter Seals Society of New Jersey, Inc., $2,850;
Eye Openers of Point Pleasant/Brick, $1,850; Garden State Philharmonic, $2,850; Interfaith Health & Support Services of
Southern Ocean County, $2,850.
Also, Jewish Family & Children’s Services/Jewish Federation of O.C., $2,850; LADACIN Network (Cerebral Palsy of Mon./Ocean
Counties), $2,850; Lavallette Municipal Alliance/Lavallette Borough, $2,850; Long Beach Island Community Center,
Inc., $2,850; Manchester Township Senior Outreach Program, $2,850; NJ Coalition on Women & Disabilities Ocean County
Chapter, $2,850; Ocean County Board of Social Services, $2,850.
And, Ocean Housing Alliance, Inc., $2,850; Our Special Kids of Toms River Inc., $2,200; Saint Mary’s Church,
$2,850; Seashore Family Services, Inc. (formerly Counseling & Referral Services of Ocean), $2,850; The Special Children
Center, Inc., $2,850; Surflight Theatre (Joseph P. Hayes Theatre, Inc.), $2,850; Team Randy, $2,850; Toms River Township
Senior Center, $2,850; Twenty-One-Plus, Inc., $2,850; and Vetwork, A Program of Vetgroup, Inc., $2,850.
Initiated in 1985, this program has provided more than $1.492 million to a variety of local non-profit organizations to
support their efforts to provide transportation services to their specific participants.
The program is funded through a portion of the County’s casino revenue grant received from NJ TRANSIT.
“Ocean County continues to be the only County in the State to provide a portion of its grant funds to local non-profits,”
Little said. “These agencies provide an invaluable service to our residents who need transportation.
“The size of Ocean County – more than 620 square miles – makes it difficult for the county to run a transportation system
that can accommodate the needs of all of our residents,” Little said. “Providing this funding to these agencies helps to
enhance the county’s program.”
Grant applications are reviewed by the Ocean County Transportation Services Department in cooperation with the Ocean
County Transportation Advisory Committee for Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities, which makes the funding
recommendation to the freeholders.
