Fund Raising

Friends of the Harvard Council on Aging

Dear Friend:

As you may know, the Harvard Council on Aging serves seniors and disabled residents with much needed support including meals, social events, health and educational programs, along with may other services.  One of their most critical types of assistance is transportation. Last year alone the COA made nearly 2900 trips, using the 10-person, wheelchair-accessible MART van, which has 150K miles on it. The number of seniors in town is growing, 16.8% of residents are in the 65-74 age bracket, and this age group will grow less independent and need more support, like transportation in the near future.

The Council on Aging has asked the Friends group to raise funds to purchase a new (or nearly new) 8-10 passenger van to use in addition to the old MART van.  We are in the process of contacting dealers and choosing a model that is the best fit for current needs.

The Friends have begun fundraising and have already received close to $8,000 in donations and will match up to $20,000. Our hope is that we will have the necessary funds by Town Meeting in May, at which time the town hopefully will approve to pay for operating expenses, like insurance, maintenance, drivers, and gas. And on July 1, we will be ready to make the purchase final and put the van on the road.

During the next few months the Friends of the Harvard COA will be reaching out to folks like you to help fund this new vehicle. We recognize that philanthropic support is needed to achieve our fundraising goal, and are asking you to join us by considering a gift of $500 – $1,000 to make this happen.  

This project will have a profound impact on the ability of the COA to support senior and disabled residents who need transportation assistance. We are proud of our town and its compassion and support to a growing segment of our community.

Sincerely,

The Friends of the Harvard COA

Please mail to:

Friends of the Harvard COA
P.O. Box 474

Harvard, MA 01451