You may have first experienced our nonprofit organization as a provider of paratransit services to the elderly and people with temporary or permanent disabilities. Or perhaps you became familiar with Via without even knowing who we are as you rode on the City of Boulder HOP bus route. This service has been operated and maintained by Via since 1994. Initially envisioned by the City and Via, the route makes it possible to get from the University of Colorado campus to the historic Pearl Street shopping district, and the 29th Street shopping and entertainment area without getting into a car. Via has also operated FlexRide, formerly Call-n-Ride, and Access-a-Ride services for RTD for many years. We also operate well-loved commuter micro transit routes such as the Lyons Flyer, HOP to Chautauqua, RideFree Lafayette, and the Omnibus for the City of Littleton. While initially headquartered and focused in Boulder County, Via has grown into Broomfield, Larimer, Weld Counties, and in 2020, on short notice, we took over from a Wheat Ridge based nonprofit that provided services to the mobility handicapped throughout the Denver metro area that had decided to end its paratransit service. This brought Vias signature door-through-door service to the four-county Denver area. When local government contracts with Via for shuttles or other public transit, there are several unique benefits that we provide at no additional cost.These include:1. REINVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY PARATRANSITVia directs the earned income from our contracts into affordable paratransit services for that community. This revenue, combined with other funding, is used to leverage additional federal and state grants, vastly increasing the services provided to our communities. This is unique to Via, as no other service provider reinvests its earned income to increase and expand necessary mobility services to our most vulnerable community members.2. PUBLIC DOLLARS REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITYAs a community-based nonprofit organization, Via works hard to be an efficient and cost-effective operation. We invest over 85 percent of our resources on direct program support; our revenues are reinvested in our communities, our employees, our facilities, and our sustainability programs and are not diverted to remote shareholders.3. CRISIS RESPONSE & COMMUNITY SAFETYWhen local government contracts with Via we offer our First and Second Crisis Response services. Via provided emergency response evacuations to residents during the 2013 floods and multiple wildfire events over the years, including the Marshall Fire in 2022. Via has been recognized by the Boulder County Sheriffs Office as a heroic and vital component of the Office of Disaster Management. Via is not paid for these services, but we underwrite the costs as a community reinvestment.4. PUBLIC ACCESS PARTNERSHIPSA further community benefit of working with Via includes access to our facilities: our 12-acre east Boulder campus is available to be used as a crisis center and public meeting space. In the aftermath of the horrific King Soopers killings, Via quickly organized our facility into a crisis response center where families could meet privately with law enforcement, counselling, and other critical resourcesVia is there for the community.5. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIPVia has been a leader in and is committed to Environmental Sustainability and will be fully converting our fleet to zero emission vehicles. We are also partnering with the City of Boulder and Boulder County to continue to build out our on-site solar microgrid. We coordinate closely with our local government partners to ensure that we represent their policies and priorities in the services we offer and the way we conduct our business.6. WORKFORCE TRAINING & DEVELOPMENTVia recently launched a relationship with CareerWise Colorado to begin our first auto mechanic apprenticeship program in 2024 with student employees. It is our goal to mentor and train young people in the newest emerging battery electric and hydrogen technologies, and then be able to offer a full-time, market-based position following graduation.Why Partner with Via Mobility Services?Via Mobility Services is a vital partner for your local government.Despite our many strengths, it would be increasingly difficult for Via Mobility Services to compete head-to-head with national and international for-profit companies intent on entering the market with a strategy of losing money but gaining market share. This is a reality that we face, but when local and county governments fully understand our business model and policy direction, the advantages of a partnership with Via Mobility Services are clear. Thank you for choosing to work with us!

Older adults and people with disabilities experience the adverse side effects of social isolation at a higher rate than the average American. Humans are social creatures, and plenty of those we serve are already far too familiar with the struggles of social isolation. Access to affordable, accessible transportation removes one of the many barriers to staying connected that people limited mobility options face. But transportation is only one part of a more extensive network of services that people need.As we being to face the realities of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, we are all being encouraged to practice social distancing to help stop the spread of this disease. Were acutely aware of the challenges that those in isolation, whether by choice or necessity, face, and we understand that this is an uncertain and stressful time. At Via, we have already seen a decline in ride requests as our riders decide to stay home. Over the past week, senior and recreation centers, adult day facilities, and public events and spaces have made the difficult decision to close or reduce hours as a precaution to help minimize the effects of this outbreak in our community. You can learn more about Vias response here. We have compiled a list of resources to help you and your loved ones access the services you need, and weve included some other ideas of how everyone can stay connected and engaged.If you have any resources that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you! Please email your ideas and resources to via@viacolorado.org so we can add them to this list.

Pennsylvania (PA) Relay is a free public service that provides telecommunication solutions to citizens who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, or who have difficulty speaking. With support from PA Relay, these individuals can place and receive calls through assistive services and technology. PA Relay has a team of outreach coordinators who visit various communities throughout the state to bring more awareness to this valuable service. Outreach coordinators connect with potential PA Relay users, their loved ones, and community members and inform them about the available solutions that could help them, or someone they know, communicate more efficiently and effectively.  PA Relays outreach coordinators Jenny Pearson and Thadeus Graham took some time to answer important questions about the free public service and their roles on the outreach team to help people understand how they can benefit from PA Relay services and the educational opportunities available through the outreach program. Keep reading to get to know your outreach coordinators!What are the responsibilities of your role as an outreach coordinator?Jenny: As an outreach coordinator, my main focus is educating Pennsylvania residents and businesses about the services provided by PA Relay and how those services work. Its my pleasure to travel throughout the state educating people about PA Relays services and how businesses and organizations can benefit from using PA Relay to connect with potential clients who use accessible telecommunications to conduct business. To do this, the outreach team exhibits at community events, gives educational presentations to local organizations, and provides training to businesses and organizations.   Thadeus: I educate people about PA Relay as well as assist people in gaining access to the free public service. As an outreach coordinator my role is to both assist our relay users as well as introduce people who could benefit from the service to PA Relay. I answer questions, help with equipment installations, provide a point of contact for our users, host presentations, or attend expos and health fairs to make sure everyone is aware of the services that are available to them.  How can PA Relays services help people stay connected, and how do you help people learn more about these specific services?Jenny: In presenting this information at public and private events, the outreach team can inform people on how these services work and why they are important for accessibility and facilitation of communication for people of all abilities.   Thadeus: PA Relays services help people stay connected by returning independence and autonomy to our users. It empowers people who are deaf, DeafBlind, hard of hearing, or who have speech differences to connect to standard telephone users directly through their adaptive equipment. I help people learn about these services through a variety of methods.  What kind of events do you attend as an outreach coordinator?Jenny: Some types of events the outreach team attends could be health fairs, senior expos, state and local fairs, church groups, chamber of commerce events, conferences, and virtual presentations.   Thadeus: I will attend any event that will have me and that will have a meaningful impact for my fellow Pennsylvania residents. I attend health fairs, senior expos, and host presentations at local organizations. I also work with community leaders to schedule town hall events or even host awareness nights at local sporting events. Ive met with PA Relay users in their homes to help them with their adaptive equipment on a more personal level.  What has been one of your favorite events that youve attended as an outreach coordinator? What made it so memorable?Jenny: I have been an outreach coordinator for six years and have experienced so many amazing events and interactions. Some of my favorite events involve educating seniors and their caregivers about PA Relay and how we can help maintain connections between those who use traditional telephone services and those who use relay services. Hearing loss is a common experience among those who are aging, and to be able to provide these folks with a solution like Voice Carry-Over or Captioned Telephone is incredibly rewarding, especially when they share their experiences with me. Thadeus: My first ever presentation will always be etched into my mind. It was a cold December morning just north of Philadelphia. I had just presented to a group of seniors about PA Relay. After the presentation I helped a few of them download and set up the Hamilton Mobile CapTel App on their phones. The joy they had calling each other and using their new adaptive technology made me realize how much of a difference this can truly make for people. I was hooked on wanting to help as many people as possible after that day.Do you offer educational presentations about PA Relay to local organizations?Jenny: Yes, we do! We provide presentations throughout the state, both in person and virtually. Some of the types of organizations we educate are service providers, health professionals, retirement communities, Deaf and Hard of Hearing support groups and organizations, local businesses and agencies, sporting groups, and church gatherings. All of our presentations are always no cost and can be scheduled at the organizations convenience.   Topics discussed during our presentations are general information about PA Relay, types of services provided and how they work, and how to use the service. The topics can certainly be customized based on the organization. For example, a group may be interested in services for those who are living with hearing loss, so we can tailor our presentation to address those specific services.Thadeus: PA Relay offers a variety of training as well as educational preparations to any interested organization across the Commonwealth. We can also provide training to organizations on how to properly handle relay calls. The Relay Friendly Business Training helps organizations identify relay calls and trains staff on how to properly handle these types of calls.During these presentations we discuss everything from the history of relay services to the different types of services. We discuss PA Captioned Telephone Relay Service and how to acquire adaptive equipment either through the states equipment distribution program, TechOWL, or other means. The topics and timeframe can be customized to meet the needs of the organization.  Is there anything else about your role as an outreach coordinator that youd like people to know?Jenny: As an outreach coordinator, the most important thing I do is connect people to resources they can use to make life a bit easier. Often, I present information to people who do not need PA Relays services, but they know someone who does. When this happens, its so rewarding to hear how they will share what theyve learned from me with those who really need assistance making and receiving calls. This ensures that connections remain strong, and people are able to live life as independently as possible.   Thadeus: The biggest thing I would like people to know is just how life-changing these services are. Even if youre not someone who could use PA Relay, its likely that someone you know could greatly benefit from the service.  How can an interested individual or organization reach you?Jenny: To learn more about PA Relay, feel free to email me at Jenny.Pearson@HamiltonRelay.com or call 610-737-7205! Thadeus: The best way to get in touch would be by emailing Thadeus.Graham@HamiltonRelay.com, or I am available by phone at 412-944-7424.  FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE BUT REGISTERED USERS WITH HEARING LOSS FROM USING INTERNET PROTOCOL (IP) CAPTIONED TELEPHONES WITH THE CAPTIONS TURNED ON. Advanced speech recognition software is used to process calls, and, in certain circumstances, a live communications assistant may be included on the call. There is a cost for each minute of captions generated, paid from a federally administered fund. To learn more, visit fcc.gov. Third-party charges may apply: the Hamilton CapTel phone requires high-speed internet access (Wi-Fi capable) and in some cases, may require telephone service. When using Hamilton CapTel on a smartphone or tablet and not on Wi-Fi, a data plan is required. Hamilton CapTel may be used to make 911 calls but may not function the same as traditional 911 services. For more information about the benefits and limitations of Hamilton CapTel and Emergency 911 calling, visit HamiltonCapTel.com/911. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.