(Community Transportation Network news release)
Community Transportation Network is pleased to announce receipt of a $150,000 grant from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation upon the recommendation of Indiana Michigan Power (I&M).
The grant empowered Community Transportation Network (CTN) to remodel space to create the agency’s first boardroom accessible to people with disabilities in the agency’s building at 5601 Industrial Road. The grant also helped support construction of the new CTN satellite garage at 3401 S. Maplecrest Road in New Haven, a location that will help CTN better serve for riders in southeast Fort Wayne and east Allen County.
The grant is part of the ongoing capital campaign to expand CTN’s capacity and help fulfill its vision of the agency’s mission to provide dependable and efficient transportation so no one is left behind.
“We are so grateful to the AEP Foundation for the grant and to I&M for their continued support to our capital campaign,” said Justin Clupper, executive director of CTN. “The grant enables CTN to not only expand our service but improve efficiencies with our new satellite garage.”
David Leininger, board president of CTN, added: “CTN’s board of directors has long held a standard of including riders on our board. Moving our board room to the first floor, in a remodeled space, enabled our board to be much more inclusive of people with a mobility disability.”
“Indiana Michigan Power is pleased the AEP Foundation is helping Community Transportation Network expand the agency’s reach and efficiency with the new garage, which supports CTN’s mission of empowering residents to maintain life-sustaining connections in our community,” said Kelly Rentschler, I&M Community Affairs manager. “We are equally pleased to enable the agency to make sure its meetings are accessible to all of its board members and riders.”
The new accessible boardroom has empowered Dave Lechleitner, a board member who acquired a mobility disability several years ago, to attend meetings, where he can share his perspective as a rider and use his experience serving on state boards to impact CTN. “CTN has been a tremendous service for me. It has allowed me to get to my appointments without depending on family members,” Lechleitner said. “Serving on the board of directors has been a real joy, helping to impact our other riders and provide an important perspective to the other board members.”
The boardroom at the CTN industrial board building has already been used for a number of meetings, while construction on the new garage on Maplecrest Road was recently completed and will soon be in use as a second garage for CTN.
Donations to CTN to fully fund the project are still being accepted. To learn more, and to donate, please visit our website at ridectn.org/ or e-mail Executive Director Justin Clupper at Justin@RideCTN.org
# # #
ABOUT COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION NETWORK (CTN): Since 2000, CTN has eased the burden of transportation so that more people can maintain life-sustaining and purposeful connections in the community. They do this by providing accessible transportation to low-income seniors and people with disabilities who need access to health resources in our community. They also provide rides to work for people with disabilities, and a low-cost charter service for more than 75 other nonprofit organizations. On average, they provide more than 75,000 rides a year, serving more than 5,000 unique riders.
ABOUT INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER: Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its approximately 2,100 employees serve more than 600,000 customers. More than 80% of its energy delivered in 2021 was emission-free. I&M has at its availability various sources of generation including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, more than 22 MW of hydro generation in both states, nearly 35 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states, and 2,620 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
ABOUT THE AEP FOUNDATION: The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power and its operating subsidiaries. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP’s 11-state service area.
The Foundation focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math and by meeting basic needs for emergency shelter, affordable housing and the elimination of hunger. Our Social and Racial Justice grant program, Delivering On the Dream, is for organizations whose mission and/or programming is committed to positive social and racial justice outcomes. Other Foundation support may be offered to protect the environment, promote healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Justin Clupper
Executive Director
Community Transportation Network
260-420-3407
Justin@RideCTN.org
Tracy Warner
Corporate Communications Manager
Indiana Michigan Power
260-479-9484
tkwarner@aep.com