The Area Ten Agency on Aging now has approval to start delivering groceries and pharmacy pick-ups to residents living in the four counties it serves.
Normally, Rural Transit acts as a door-to-door service, taking people in Monroe, Owen, Putnam and Lawrence counties to appointments.
They also have fixed routes that go through each county and group transport.
But because of the coronavirus, Area Ten stepped in to get essentials to homebound individuals.
Executive Director Chris Myers says Area 10 transit drivers will pick up pre-purchased orders of groceries and prescriptions and bring them to the doorsteps of clients.
“We want to do everything we can to help people stay safe and healthy and help us get through this crisis together,” she says.
The delivery service is free to users. Myers says Area Ten has scaled back rural transit bus routes though they are still available.
Myers says for Monroe County residents, the delivery service has to be from county-to-city or city-to-county.
"We can only provide pick-up in the city to take out to county residents," she says.
So far, they've recived a couple dozens orders for pick-ups.
Myers doesn't know how long they'll be able to maintian their servies because of finanical strains and drops in local funding.
"We are losing about $3,500 a week right now in local funding," she says.
The service will run Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
