Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Nonprofit Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Northampton County OKs $15,000 for Sites for Hope guided-transport service
Summary
After public comment from Sites for Hope leadership, the county council amended and approved a $15,000 contingency transfer to support the nonprofit's guided-transport service for residents with little or no eyesight.
Northampton County Council voted unanimously to transfer $15,000 from the 2025 contingency fund to Sites for Hope to support its guided-transport service for people with low or no eyesight.
The council first heard from Dennis Zayner, executive director and CEO of Sites for Hope, who described the service and its costs. "Our projected total cost to operate this service for our 20 25, 20 26 fiscal year is $296,073," Zayner said, noting that Northampton County residents accounted for $82,183 of that total and that 32% of riders live in Northampton County. Paul Miller, the organization's board president, told council many clients are below the poverty line and that rideshare costs would be "insurmountable" for them.
Council member Jeff Warren moved the contingency transfer. During deliberations a colleague proposed increasing the county contribution; the amendment to raise the transfer from $10,000 to $15,000 passed on a roll-call vote of 8-0. The council then adopted the amended transfer 8-0.
Why it matters: Sites for Hope said the transport service is its most-used program and covers trips for food, medical appointments and other essentials for clients who often lack family supports. The county contribution will be applied to the organization's vehicle fleet and related operating costs, officials said.
Next steps: The transfer is immediate; council members said they expect to continue monitoring service impact and potential additional requests during the budget process.
