When Chad Riden gives seniors in Taos County a ride, it might mean a two-hour drive to a cancer center in Albuquerque, an optometrist in Santa Fe or a dental visit in Peñasco. But for those he transports, it provides critical care they otherwise couldn’t access on their own.
Riden, producer and host of Taos Comedy, is one of seven drivers serving Taos County through the Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging’s volunteer driver program, which helps seniors reach care they otherwise couldn’t access. In January, the agency logged 32 ride requests in Taos County out of about 500 requests received across the agency’s service area that month.
“These people’s families are off around the world,” Riden said. “They have nobody here locally, except for old people who also can’t drive. So, I just thought, well, this is something I can do to help them. I’ve got a nice car and if it’s not being used, then that’s really a waste.”
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