As I was waiting in line for my COVID vaccine I started to recall the many times I have been involved in what they are calling mass immunizations. As a first grader we were all herded to the school nurse’s office where the challenge was not to cry at the sight of what seemed to be a very big scary needle for the Salk Polio vaccine. Things got a little bit easier when the Sabin vaccine came along. We received that one on a sugar cube on a Sunday in our Church hall. In 1976 when flu shots came into prominence, I recall gathering in the Hackensack High School gym to roll up our sleeves and start what would become an annual event for many people but later done individually at the Doctor’s office or a Pharmacy.
So, here we are on the anniversary of the shutdown on a different kind of line called online, struggling to navigate websites, seeking out vaccine leftovers at the Shop-Rite and happily responding to the text that tells you it is your turn.
As I look back on the year, I am proud of the work of the hip staffers who arranged food deliveries, distributed PPEs, and supermarket gift cards, purchased I-pads, Chrome books and microwaves, helped with rental assistance and utility bills all while continuing to serve our consumers in our traditional programs. Our work is still done remotely but we are looking forward to safely meeting in person when everyone is vaccinated.
We are in the final six months of our CARES Act funding and we still have the ability to provide services to remediate difficulties that arose due to the pandemic. Please contact us so we can see how we can help.
Enjoy all the new beginnings that come with Spring. Stay safe and be well.
As you read this, the nation is marking a full year of coping with the global pandemic known as COVID-19. Last year we considered “quarantine” a word from the past and were convinced that we’d lick this thing in several weeks. We never envisioned travel restrictions, business shutdowns, food and product shortages, the concept of remote learning and the many other adjustments that we made to stay healthy. Sadly, many of our relatives, friends and neighbors fell victim to this strange illness and we quickly came to realize that things will never be the same.
During the initial months of the closure, hip staff quickly adapted to serving our consumers by phone and remote access. As a grantee of the Federally funded Administration for Community Living we received CARES Act funds to provide services to those in need in Bergen and Hudson Counties. This money enabled us to expand our services to provide food, energy and rental assistance, the purchase of i-Pads and computers and a wide range of medical and environmental aides.
In July we were able to split our work week by staggering the staff schedules to have a half
time presence in the office to stay current on paperwork and to respond to our newly established hotline. Our move back to the office involved a deep cleaning, the installation of plexiglass partitions and new protocols for social distancing and the wearing of masks.
You may have noticed that this is the first full length newsletter that we’ve published in the past year. We have been hard at work enhancing our website www.hipcil.org and we’ve become a part of Constant Contact, which offers instant communication to our members. Please send us your email addresses so we can include you in news and announcements. This doesn’t mean that we’ve abandoned the Postal Service. Over the past six months we have mailed numerous sets of gloves and facemasks along with special candy bars and holiday cookies.
As we look forward to the Spring of 2021 we are planning to host some Zoom activities and hope to increase our ability to be your resource for information. I want to hear from you to learn what services we can offer you to maximize your ability to successfully live in your community. In the meantime, we’ll get through this together.
The COVID-19 Community Response Program began in April 2020 with funding from theCoronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.The program was designed to address food insecurities, PPE (personal protective equipment), assistive devices (medical and non-medical), transportation, in-home support services, and emergency rental and utility assistance related toCOVID-19.
With this program, hip has been able to supply many consumers with needed financial assistance during the pandemic. Items funded during these very trying times have been microwaves and other household appliances, tablets/iPads, laptops, air conditioners, PPE (masks and gloves), a space heater, a wheelchair ramp, a recliner and over $6,000 worth of ShopRite gift cards. hip was also able to pay several PSEG bills and provide emergency rental assistance from this program.
The program will run through September (while funds are still available). If you’d like more information on the program or to fill out an application, visit our websiteor call Maria Valentin at 201-996-9100 ext. 18 (Bergen) or Alejandro Paredes 201-533-4407 (Hudson).
On the evening of November 18th, 2020 hip hosted its first virtual Annual Meeting. It was quite unlike any Annual Meeting in the past. Instead of gathering in a large room enjoying dinner and dessert together, we gathered around our computer screens with a mug of hot chocolate and popcorn (mailed by the hip staff).
We listened to Brian Fitzgibbons, CEO and President, discuss the achievements of hip during 2020. It was a year full of challenges and changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we are proud of how we met each issue with motivation and a desire to help our consumers as best we could. Some highlights of the year included:
The Bergen and Hudson CILs provided information and services to 919 consumers, family members, friends and professionals. Although the vast majority resided in Bergen and Hudson Counties, individuals from all areas of New Jersey benefited as well.
The Bergen and Hudson CILs partnered with the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities to provide Support Coordination services. Support Coordinators worked with 133 consumers to assist them in accessing community-based supports and services to enhance their independent living. Efforts were directed in such areas as identifying appropriate programs and providers, facilitating socialization skills and building life experiences with the ultimate goal of securing employment.
Rehabilitation Technology funding enabled 124 individuals to receive disability-related equipment. Home modifications that increased safety and access in home environments were funded for 23 individuals.
The Adjustment to Vision Loss Project Peer Support Groups gained many new members this year. In-person groups met monthly in Fort Lee, North Arlington, Washington Township, Jersey City and Secaucus, and then met remotely several times each month after COVID-19 hit. Consumers met to talk with one another to gain emotional support, exchange helpful information, and learn practical solutions to many new challenges, including social distancing. Many consumers have taken the opportunity to learn more about technology in this new virtual era. Consumers also had the opportunity to partake in informative presentations made by professionals in the field offering more knowledge to assist with learning how to live in our “new normal.” Two telephone support groups, with participants from all regions of the state, continued to meet and expand on a biweekly basis. One group is for young adults under 30 and the other is for individuals over the age of 30.
Care Management programs in both CILs provided assessments and linkages to financial benefits and community-based services such as Food Stamps, prescription assistance, Meals on Wheels, Medicaid and many other resources which enabled 153 individuals to continue to live independently in the community.
hip also provided case management services through the statewide Traumatic Brain Injury Fund. This Fund, which receives its revenue from a $.50 surcharge on motor vehicle registrations, purchases services and supports to enable individuals who have been impacted by a traumatic brain injury to live independently in the community.
hip conducted 357 Access Link eligibility interviews from October 2019 through September 2020. This NJ Transit program was established to provide public transportation to people with disabilities who are unable to use the fixed route bus services.
We are happy that with current technology, we were still able to “meet” for the Annual Meeting and let the attendees know all that hip achieved during 2020. The new
Annual Report is available on our website www.hipcil.org.
hip receives many contributions from the individuals and the community throughout the year. We thank the following for their recent exceptional generosity:
Elaine Appellof and Jerome Saunders
Bergenfield Lions Club
Chris and Ron Black
Adele Cannie
Michael and Marie Cook
Lottie Esteban and Family
William Fellinger
First Presbyterian Church of Hackensack
Andrew and Linda Goff
John Koch
Eve and Mort Levinson
Lions Club of River Edge
Managed Business Solutions
Anna Navatta
John Stanik
Philip and Linda Webster-Cennerazzo
Special Thanks to the wonderful parishioners of St. Peter the Apostle Church in River Edge for their outstanding generosity to many of our consumers through their participation in the virtual Giving Tree this past holiday season.
hip recently welcomed 2 new staff members! Please read further to get to know them and how they are helping make hip an even greater asset for our consumers.
Alejandro Paredes joined the Hudson hip staff in July as the COVID-19 Response Program Coordinator. Alejandro earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from New Jersey City University. He is furthering his education into Environmental Science and hopes to one day help modern science fight pollution.
Alejandro has always enjoyed helping others. In the past he volunteered by handing out turkeys to families in Union City for Thanksgiving and feeding the homeless in New York City. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and reading books.
Pedro Martin joined the Bergen hip staff in November as the Website Developer. Pedro has a Master of Science in International Maritime Transportation Managementfrom the Ukraine and continued on to study Computer Science in Cuba.
Pedro was initially a consumer of hip and created the current website as a volunteer. The knowledge he gained about hip’s mission has helped him to design innovative additions to the website and ensure it has complete accessibility for all.
Pedro and his wife Lucia are looking forward to May when they will welcome their second grandchild into their family!
Heightened Independence and Progress Invites You to Our First (and Hopefully Only) Hunkerdown Hoedown!
A Socially Distant NO ATTEND Fundraiser
Date: Friday, March 26, 2021
Place: The Comfort of Your Own Home
Time: It Doesn’t Matter – You Won’t Be Late!
Don Your Favorite Comfy Clothes, Do Si Do to Your Kitchen for a Home-Cooked Meal, Promenade in Front of Your Fireplace, and Swing and Sashay to Your Favorite Music! No Cowboy Boots or Hats Needed!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FROM A DISTANCE At Our HUNKERDOWN HOEDOWN!
Everyone will win as you stay safe and well at home and hip raises funds to benefit the programs at our Bergen and Hudson Centers for Independent Living and replenishes funding lost due to COVID-19.
So far we know that the following people are going to Kick Off their Cowboy Boots and Stay Home: Brian Fitzgibbons (hip President/CEO), Trish Carney (Vice President/CFO), Marily Gonzalez (Hudson hip Executive Director), Anna Navatta (Chair, hip Board of Trustees) and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Can we add your name to our list?
Thanks to our new website developer, Pedro Martin, the hip website is now available in 20 languages! In addition to that, there are also plenty of great updates! The website is now easier to navigate and includes testimonials from many hip consumers. Check it out at www.hipcil.org and let us know what you think!
Several months ago, hip’s COVID-19 Community Response Program funded Fusion software for Nelsida Melo, a longtime hip consumer. Nelsida requested the software, which combines magnification and visual enhancements for ease of screen viewing with screen reading functionality, so she could take some online courses and find employment. As she is a hardworking single mother, we were happy to assist her by purchasing this special technology to help further her career in the midst of the pandemic.
We learned recently that Nelsida has obtained employment with the NJ Contact Tracing Department! She was able to go through the entire application process and training because of the software purchased. We are thrilled the program was able to help her and look forward to helping many more consumers throughout the year. We asked Nelsida a few questions about her experience and are excited to share her responses with our hip community!
Q: How do you feel now that you have employment and are working from home?
A: I am so happy! This was my dream and a goal I have had for a few years now that I thought was unachievable. I want to tell everyone that I am now working and that Trisha and hip have been there for my daughter and I through thick and thin!
Q: Were you nervous during the training period for your new job?
A: Yes, I was very nervous. But as I was in the training with the other trainees, I was able to learn and solve problems along with everyone else.
Q: What is your comfort zone after working a few weeks along with the software?
A: With the new software it has made my tasks for work much easier. Using the magnification has taken such a strain off my eyes and made it more comfortable to completemy work. This is very important since a majority of my work is on the computer.
Q: How would you sum up your experience in this new chapter in your life?
A: The technology has been a tremendous help for me in searching for work and in my training. I was anxious during training since I have not worked in 7 years. After training was completed, I was still a little bit nervous, but once I took a few calls and got the hang of it, I became more comfortable. I am super happy that I am working. It has definitely boosted my confidence with my disability. I am very grateful to hip for helping me so much and getting me to where I’m at today.
Kathy Moore, who worked in the Bergen office under the Easter Seals SCSEP initiative for several years, has been named to Kessler Institute’s Community Advisory Board for the Northern New Jersey Spinal Cord Injury Model System. A longtime advocate for individuals with disabilities, Kathy will make great contributions to the Board.
Barbara Conklin has been designing the artwork for hipNews and many other hip projects (including Dinner Dance invitations) over the years. Recently she worked on the hip 2021 calendar, which was comprised of photos taken by hip members, staff and family. Thank you, Barbara, for all your incredible work! Your talent makes hip shine!
Ryan Roy, who spent several years as an intern at hip, is celebrating eight months at his new job as a Recreation Aide at Genesis Healthcare Center in Ridgewood. His duties include setting up the materials for the various activities and pitching in wherever he is needed.
Congratulations to The Bergen County Job Center on its recent name change. Many of us remember it as the One-Stop Career Center but check out their new look and expanded services at www.bergenjobcenter.com.
Maria Valentin and Jayne Jacobs from the Bergen CIL will be hosting a six-week virtual workshop to help people to better manage chronic symptoms, work with healthcare professionals, set weekly goals, problem solve, eat well and exercise safely and easily. It will take place via Zoom one morning a week from starting in May.
The workshop is titled “Take Control of Your Health” and was created by the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. RSVP’s are on a first-come first-serve basis and required by April 5th. Spots are limited, so call the Bergen office at 201-996-9100 (Maria ext. 18 or Jayne ext. 26) to book your place today!
For information on all things hip, please follow us on Facebook and check our website for updates!
In our effort to supply critical information to consumers as quickly as possible, hip is developing a database of email addresses. Regular mail is moving more slowly now, so it is important for us to have other means of communicating with you. Please send an email to contactme@hipcil.org with your personal email address or text the word hip to 22828 (message and data rates may apply) and we will add you to the database. Make sure you check your junk mail folder in case our emails end up in there!
Heightened Independence and Progress (hip) would like to thank the Mayor of Secaucus, Mike Gonnelli, along with his staff for their support and assistance to hip consumers. The attendees of the Secaucus Adjustment to Vision Loss group always enjoyed it when Mike would stop in at the monthly meeting and say hello. Mike has been the Mayor of Secaucus for 12 years now and one of his proudest and biggest accomplishments for the town is that he has been able to sustain the lowest property tax rates in Hudson County.
Mayor Mike and his team work from the heart; they love what they do and it shows.
Since the pandemic began, the Mayor has been in touch with hip and has greatly helped out by providing clothing and accessories to many hip consumers through the Secaucus Emergency Fund. The president of this fund is Lisa Snedeker, who is also the Director of Senior and Community Services (2 different entities). Here is a quote from Lisa:
“I started the Secaucus Emergency Fund as a way to help residents keep their quality of life. We help people by referring to social service agencies that are equipped to handle specific situations. We also have the emergency food pantry and give out food twice a month. But sometimes that’s not enough. Sometimes people have an emergency come up that requires immediate assistance and that’s where the emergency fund comes in. It’s really set up to help residents in need. During this pandemic I can’t tell you the numbers of people we helped. Along with doing good things for front line workers—sending in lunch and whatever we can do.”
The hip staff and consumers are forever grateful to Mayor Mike, his staff, and the Secaucus Emergency Fund for making such a difference in our consumers’ lives. Their continued support is truly appreciated. For me, Trisha Ebel, being a lifetime resident of Secaucus, it has been incredibly rewarding to be able to intertwine the work I do alongside the various departments within the town of Secaucus.
hip Offers Innovative Programs to Meet the Independent Living Needs of People with Disabilities in Bergen and Hudson Counties and Beyond
Founded in 1980, Heightened Independence & Progress (hip) is observing 41 years of service. hip not only continues to provide vital assistance through information, referral, advocacy, and peer support, but also offers a wide variety of programs to people with all types of disabilities in Bergen and Hudson Counties. Some programs have statewide, even national impact. The following is a summary of hip programs.
Adjustment to Vision Loss coordinates peer support groups. Contact: Trisha Ebel (Bergen)
Community Advocacy and Outreach Program seeks to promote full inclusion through advocacy, education and legislation. Contact: Hudson Staff or Bergen Staff
Comprehensive Independent Living Support (CILS) provides care management assistance to residents of Hudson County to remain in the community. Contact: Angela Arboleda (Hudson)
Division of Developmental Disabilities Support Coordination Program assists individuals from Bergen and Hudson Counties to discover their full potential. Contact: Brian Fitzgibbons (Bergen), Natalie Alave (Hudson)
Empowering Women Support Group. Contact: Nicole
Clark (Bergen)
Hispanic Outreach Program directs Independent Living services to individuals of Hispanic origin, in English and Spanish. Contact: Maria Valentin (Bergen) or Angela Arboleda (Hudson)
Youth Transition Case Management assists high school students to plan for their future and for employment. Contact:
Jenny Paniagua (Hudson)
Modification Access Project (MAP) assists with funding for barrier-free home renovation projects from concept to completion. Contact: Maria Valentin (Bergen)
Multimedia Transcription Service (MTS) transcribes textbooks and other materials into Braille. Contact: Jayne Jacobs (Bergen)
Our New Journey provides financial and practical help to families newly impacted by the onset of illness or disability. Contact: Anne Ciavaglia McMahon (201-288-2867)
Polio Network of New Jersey – The Ruprecht Fund. hip administers this fund for PNNJ to help polio survivors in New Jersey finance necessary products and services. Contact: Maria Valentin (Bergen)
Senior and Caregiver Assistance Program provides care management to individuals over the age of 60 and/or adult family caregivers. Contact: Care Management Staff (Bergen)
Special Assistance for Independent Living (SAIL) provides funding to Hudson County residents for assistive devices or barrier-free home renovation projects. Contact: Natalie Alave (Hudson)
Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) provides
funding and facilitates acquisition of services and adaptive devices such as wheelchairs, bathroom safety equipment, hearing aids and more. Contact: Maria Valentin (Bergen)
Support for Independent Living (SIL) provides ongoing care management services through assessment, linkage, and coordination for people with disabilities (18-59). Contact: Tamara Clark (Bergen)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a state-funded case
management program for New Jersey residents who have survived an acquired brain injury, for services and supports they need to live in the community. Contact: Brian Fitzgibbons (Bergen) or Marily Gonzalez (Hudson)
Thank you to everyone who contributed their beautiful photos for the hip 2021 calendar! It’s a wonderful collection and we look forward to seeing them all year long.
The Access Link toll-free number will be retired on April 5th, 2021. In preparation, please start using 973-491-4224. All of the phone menu options will remain the same.
Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Persons in Non-Healthcare Settings
March 24, 2021
This interim guidance serves to clarify recently released Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Guidance may change or be updated as the situation evolves. These recommendations only apply to non-healthcare settings.
Currently authorized vaccines in the United States are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Evidence also suggests that fully vaccinated people are less likely to have asymptomatic infection and potentially less likely to transmit SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) to others.
However, we are not in a position at this time to broadly exempt fully vaccinated individuals from existing COVID-19 mitigation efforts, including requirements for indoor and outdoor gatherings outlined in current Executive Orders. This is because we are still learning how long vaccine protection will last as well as how much protection is provided against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, since most of New Jersey is not yet fully vaccinated, the chance that someone who is fully vaccinated could inadvertently spread an infection is relatively high. Until more is learned about protection, and vaccination coverage in the state increases, some prevention measures will continue to be necessary for all people, regardless of vaccination status. As with any level of risk, low/minimal risk does not mean no risk exists.
As no vaccine is 100% effective, persons must balance preventive actions to reduce possible transmission and maintain safety. While CDC recommendations indicate that private visits or small gatherings1 likely represent minimal risk to fully vaccinated people, medium or large-sized gatherings and those including unvaccinated people from multiple households increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Though the risk of disease may be minimal to the fully vaccinated person themselves, they should be mindful of their potential risk of transmitting the virus to others if they become infected, especially if they are visiting with unvaccinated people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 or who have unvaccinated people at increased risk for severe disease in their own households.
People are considered “fully vaccinated” for COVID-19:
At least 2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna); or
At least 2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen ).†
(1) The CDC guidance does not define a “small gathering.”
Although the risk that fully vaccinated people could become infected with COVID-19 is low, any fully vaccinated person who experiences symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for SARS-CoV-2 if indicated.
Private vs. Public indoor
Private spaces are defined as a home or personal residence that is not a healthcare facility or institution.
Public spaces include indoor settings where the public gathers and there is mixing of multiple households or cohorts who may or may not know each other, such as weddings, restaurants, concert and performing arts venues, schools, gyms, social/member clubs, etc. Public social gatherings are more likely to be medium- or large-sized gatherings.
Specific recommendations for Fully Vaccinated Persons
Indoor visits between fully vaccinated persons: Indoor visits between fully vaccinated people who do not wear masks or physically distance from one another are likely low risk. CDC recommends that fully vaccinated persons can visit with other fully vaccinated people in private settings indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
Indoor visits between fully vaccinated persons and unvaccinated persons: If someone fully vaccinated is visiting with someone unvaccinated, public health precautions should be determined based on the risk status of the unvaccinated persons. Because gatherings between multiple households pose risk of COVID-19 transmission among unvaccinated persons, masks and physical distancing should be maintained.
Fully vaccinated persons can visit with unvaccinated persons from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19 in private settings indoors, without anyone wearing masks, with a low risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Travel recommendations: All travelers, including persons who are fully vaccinated, should follow CDC and New Jersey testing and quarantine recommendations pre- and post-travel. A more conservative approach for travel is indicated to prevent the further spread of variant virus strains and considers an increased transmission risk associated with traveling, particularly related to social mixing at travel hubs.
Close contact quarantine recommendations: If identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, a fully vaccinated person does not need to quarantine as long as they remain asymptomatic. Although the risk that fully vaccinated people could become infected with COVID-19 is low, if symptoms develop, they should isolate and seek medical evaluation for COVID-19, which may include testing. Refer to NJDOH Minimum Quarantine Timeframes for additional information.
Special Circumstances:
• Fully vaccinated residents of non-healthcare congregate settings (e.g., correctional and detention facilities, group homes) should continue to quarantine for 14 days and be tested for COVID-19 following an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. This is because residential congregate settings may face high turnover of residents, a higher risk of transmission, and challenges in maintaining recommended physical distancing.
• Fully vaccinated employees of non-healthcare congregate settings and other high-density workplaces (e.g., meat and poultry processing and manufacturing plants) with no COVID-like symptoms do not need to quarantine following an exposure; however, testing following an exposure and through routine workplace screening programs (if present) is still recommended.
Recommendations for Gatherings
CDC continues to recommend that large gatherings be avoided, particularly those in which physical (social) distancing cannot be maintained between people who live in different households. All people, regardless of vaccination status, should adhere to current guidance to avoid medium- or large-sized in-person gatherings and to follow any applicable local guidance restricting the size of gatherings. If they choose to participate, fully vaccinated people should continue to adhere to prevention measures that reduce spread, including wearing a well-fitted mask, maintaining physical distance from others, and washing hands frequently.
All people, regardless of vaccination status, should follow state guidance restricting the size of gatherings (i.e., most current Executive Order limiting capacity).Both indoor and outdoor gatherings must adhere to the most current New Jersey Executive Order regarding gathering capacity limits and requirements for individuals participating in gatherings, which include social distancing and mask wearing.
Persons at increased risk of severe COVID-19/severe disease: Include those who are more likely than others to become severely ill, such as older adults (the risk of severe illness increases with age), pregnant people, people with underlying medical conditions. Severe illness from COVID-19 is defined as hospitalization, admission to the ICU, intubation or mechanical ventilation, or death.
†This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines. Considerations for applying this guidance to vaccines that are not FDA-authorized include whether the vaccine product has received emergency approval from the World Health Organization or authorization from a national regulatory agency.
Seniors age 75 and older are able to access free, dedicated COVID-19 vaccine appointments in New Jersey
Directly call senior-specific hotline Seniors, 75 and older, can call 856 249 7007 (senior-specific NJ COVID Call Center hotline,available 8 am 8 pm) to:
Register, schedule and reschedule appointments as neededThis is a phone number just for those 75 and older.
Receive calls from the NJ COVID Vaccine Call Center Seniors who are 75 and older on the New Jersey Vaccine Scheduling System waitlist may receive calls or messages from the NJ COVID Vaccine Call Center to schedule dedicated appointments at the following locations:
Gloucester mega site
Inspira Health (Mullica Hill and Vineland)
Walmart (~60 sites)
Other sites as available These sites may have dedicated appointments for those 75 and older
Schedule directly with hospitals, pharmacies and other sites certain hospitals as well as the following retail pharmacies across the state:
BERGEN COUNTY AND EZ RIDE PARTNER TO GIVE SENIORS RIDES FOR COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Hackensack, N.J. – Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Board of Commissioners have announced that the County has partnered with EZ RIDE to provide seniors age 60 and over with rides for COVID-19 vaccinations.
“We realize that some of our seniors need help getting to our vaccination site at Bergen New Bridge, so we’ve come up with a creative way to provide rides so they can better protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “By partnering our community transportation network with EZ Ride, we will help ease the concerns of seniors from our 70 communities while providing access to the vaccine.”
“This is yet another creative initiative by the County of Bergen to ensure that those most vulnerable to this deadly virus get vaccinated. We will continue to explore additional options to increase vaccine accessibility for all of our seniors,” said Commissioner Chairman Steve Tanelli.
Rides will be provided through companies such as Lyft and Uber under a program known as Ryde4Life, which is part of the EZ Ride network. The program will be coordinated through the Bergen County Division of Community Transportation and the Division of Senior Services that will work together to approve applications submitted by residents for service.
To schedule a ride and seniors can call the Bergen County Division of Community Transportation at 201-368-5955. Seniors interested in accessing the Ryde4Life program must have a working cell phone with them during the transportation service and must apply for the ride 24 hours in advance of their appointment. Some of the information needed to book a ride will include: first and last name; address; cell phone number; pick-up address; pick-up time; and destination address.
When approved for a ride, the senior will be instructed to call EZ RIDE at a designated number to request transportation. Seniors can have a family member or friend accompany them on the ride for additional comfort and safety.
