Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - In 2007, the Augustana Lutheran Church instituted RIDE, the Refugee Immigrant Driver Education program, to help migrants obtain their driver’s licenses. RIDE appears to be a one of a kind program unlike any other in Western New York.
According to Johanna Andritz, the current director of the program, it all started with two people, one of whom has connections with Journey's End Refugee Center in Buffalo, who helped raise awareness to the services the church offered.
listen to wben now!
The volunteers of the church have helped aid over 100 refugees in over 30 countries obtain their driver's licenses or their permits. Currently, the volunteers are funding and assisting about 30 migrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras, Turkey and Afghanistan hoping to gain new opportunities by obtaining their permit and license.
"They are so thankful and so excited to to be able to work toward their goal of driving," says Andritz. "This allows them to drive their children, go to the store or go to work. One of the students I talked to was waiting for a bus for at least an hour. He had called me and while he was waiting he asked me about the program. An hour later, he was still there waiting for that bus. So it makes a great difference. It's a wonderful experience."
Andritz says some are so appreciative of the opportunity, they come back to the church to help or show their support for the program. "They are a great help," says Andritz.
In order to participate in the program, the refugees or migrants must be 18 years or older and have a basic understanding of English language. They fill out an application which is reviewed and if they don't have a permit, the volunteers set them up and drive them to the classes. If they have their permits, the volunteers take them to Stevens Driving School.
The church says funding has been tight, as the main funding sources are donations from the church congregation and grant funding though groups like Lutheran Charities of Western New York. They hope to have another group of participants later in the year, if funding allows.
Andritz says she has received a lot of inquiries regarding the program recently as migrants taking part in this year's RIDE program recently started their lessons last Thursday, coupled with the fact that more migrants may be on the way to Erie County following the end of COVID emergency rules.
"I just received a ton of phone calls in the last two weeks, definitely expecting to hear more. I feel that we need to look for more grants so that we can have more money to offer more people this opportunity. There's so many people in need. Our pastor and I went to Jewish Family Services recently, and they were telling us that they probably have 200 people who could use our program, and that's just one organization."
Click here for more information on the program and to find out how you can show support.
"They are a blessing to our community. They have so much to offer us, they are lovely people who will help others and it would be wonderful for us all to get to know our neighbors from across the world. They are in great need and they are extremely thankful. One lady said that our RIDE program was the best thing that's happened to her since she's been in Western New York for the last four years. I think we need to welcome them," Andritz added.