One of the things I value most about working in Human Services is seeing the many ways our community stays connected.

Sometimes that means helping someone find the right resource. Sometimes it means bringing organizations together. And sometimes, quite literally, it means helping someone get where they need to go.

That idea of connection is one reason I’m excited about the recent transition from Charlotte County Transit to Charlotte Rides. Charlotte Rides is more than a new name. The goal was to create a look that is modern and welcoming while making public transportation more visible and easier for residents to use. An important note is that the $150,000 cost of the branding project is 100% funded by the Federal Transit Administration.

Charlotte Rides provides fare-free, shared-ride, curb-to-curb transportation throughout most of Charlotte County, including the Charlotte County portion of Englewood, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. Residents use the service for medical appointments, work, grocery shopping, libraries, restaurants and other destinations. Transportation can help an older adult remain independent, help someone get to work or a medical appointment, or simply make it possible to stay connected to the community.

The rider experience also begins before someone ever steps onto a bus. Charlotte Rides is focused on making the entire process easy. From finding information and reserving a trip to recognizing a bus when it arrives.

Riders can make reservations by phone or through the Charlotte Rides mobile app, and buses are fully accessible for people using wheelchairs, scooters and walkers.

That idea of connection will be on display from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 23 when Charlotte County Human Services will host a Veterans Expo at the Family Services Center located at 21500 Gibralter Drive in Port Charlotte. The event will bring veterans together with resources and information, health and wellness opportunities, networking and connections, and food.

Our Veteran Services team works every day to help veterans and their families understand benefits, navigate systems and connect with resources they have earned through their service. The Expo gives us an opportunity to bring many of those connections together under one roof and make that process a little easier.

Whether it’s a bus traveling through our community or a room full of organizations ready to assist our veterans, the goal is the same: make it easier for people to connect with the places, services and resources they need.

To make a reservation with Charlotte Rides, call 941-575-4000 or download the Charlotte Rides mobile app: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/file/653/transit-app-flyer-website.pdf

To connect with our Veteran Services team, call 941-764-5579.