Neighborhood Nonprofit Spotlight: Serita Lacasse, Drive a Senior.

Patch talks to Serita about her work with Drive a Senior.

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Patch: Tell Patch a little about you and your organization!

Serita: My name is Serita Lacasse and I am the Executive Director of Drive a Senior. I grew up in the Round Rock area and live now in Pflugerville. As a social worker, I saw a lack of services available for our seniors. This need empowered me to start a Drive a Senior Group in Pflugerville. In 2011, our group merged with a group in Round Rock becoming Drive a Senior Senior Access. Our area covers all of Round Rock, Pflugerville, Hutto and East Austin. The name of the organization is Drive a Senior- Senior Access. We provide transportation and support services to older adults aged 60 and above. All our services are free to the clients. We are volunteer driven and have a goal to keep our senior neighbors in their homes longer.

Patch: How does your organization help to strengthen the local community?

Serita: By providing access for seniors to grocery stores, medical appointments,libraries and senior centers. These services give the seniors a connection to their communities and helps them alleviate isolation and

depression.

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Patch: When did you open?

Serita: Round Rock office opened in 1993, Merge group began in 2011.

Patch: What is the biggest struggle your organization faces?

Serita: The biggest struggle is the growing number of seniors in the area that are unable to drive an longer. The first six months of 2016, we added over 200 clients to our census of 1200. This causes a struggle with finding enough volunteer drivers to take the rides of these seniors.

Patch: What do you hope for the future of your nonprofit?

Serita: That ever senior will have access to transportation and services they need. That we will have so many volunteers that no ride would have to be turned down.

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