Mendota senior transportation lacks funds, seeks assistance

“I’ve been here 29 years in July and MASS is my heart, my soul and my life, being here so long. I just feel like MASS means a lot to so many people because of the things we can help them with.”

—  Executive Director of MASS Rayanne Sester

Mendota Area Senior Services (MASS), a transportation service for seniors older than 60, is struggling with funding and has considered closing.

MASS provides seniors with transportation to doctor’s appointments, the grocery store, hair appointments and anywhere else they need to go. They also provide caregiver services, social events and help seniors with anything they need, such as applications for Medicare and Medicaid.

Executive Director of MASS Rayanne Sester said the program relies on half of its funding to come from donations and fundraisers. Because of the pandemic and some people struggling financially, Sester said donations are down from usual numbers.

Sester said even $5 goes a long way with paying for items, such as gas.

“If people want to help us financially, anything helps us,” Sester said. “We are also always looking for volunteers.”

Sester said the idea of closing has been a conversation the agency has had to have. She said closing the services would hurt the area and the people the organization serves, and said MASS’s services and what it does is vital to the community.

“I’ve been here 29 years in July and MASS is my heart, my soul and my life, being here so long,” Sester said. “I just feel like MASS means a lot to so many people because of the things we can help them with.”

MASS used to conduct as many fundraisers as it could to fund the program. Fundraisers included a spaghetti dinner, pork chop barbecue, garage sale, baked potato bar, quarter auctions, lunch in the park and a Santa bake sale. Because of the pandemic, the agency has not been able to do these fundraisers.

The other half of the organization’s funds come from federal and state funding, which has been slower than usual to come in.

For its transportation system, MASS owns two large 12 passenger vehicles and six minivans, each handicapped accessible. The service is on demand and will take seniors anywhere in the county.

Sester said the vehicles MASS has are getting older, and the Illinois Department of Transportation has not been able to send out grants for new vehicles until recently. She expects MASS won’t have new vehicles until 2025, so they need funds to make repairs and extend the life of the vehicles for as long as possible.

More information about MASS and how to make a donation can be found on the their website or by calling 815-539-7700.