SafeRides seeks status as NPO
By Kelly Conniff, staff writer
Posted on April 20, 2006

SafeRides, an organization hoping to provide a safer community for JMU students, is going through changes, but expects to be fully operational in the next school year.

The program was founded in 2001 after a JMU student discovered a program at Texas A&M that featured students driving their peers home on weekend nights.

“Our founder stumbled upon this program at Texas A&M and decided that we needed something like it at JMU,” said John Robinson, the current executive director of SafeRides. “She spread the dream to a small group of people, and in 2002 this group started working hard at getting recognized by JMU.”

SafeRides eventually became a student organization, but members soon discovered that providing rides for fellow students might not be as easy as they originally thought. Obtaining cars and insurance became a major obstacle because of the legal issues involved.

“We’ve had a difficult time with insurance because it’s hard to find for our type of organization,” Robinson said.

At this point, the organization focused on doing whatever they could to obtain insurance and cars. Paperwork for insurance issues proved daunting, and the group also had to focus its efforts on fund raising and gathering members. 

This past year has been a transitional period for the group. SafeRides has made changes to its infrastructure, membership and legal status.

In the fall semester of 2005, further complications with the insurance process arose, causing delays.

“Last semester was difficult,” Robinson said. “One of our directors, who has since been asked to leave, lost our insurance information, which became a problem.”

Despite the setback, SafeRides decided to change the organization of the group and filed for 501 (c) (3) status, which would make the group nationally recognized as a nonprofit organization. This will make it easier for the group to acquire insurance and cars at a more affordable rate.

“We’re hoping that by reaching nonprofit status, local and national sponsors will be interested in donating more because it’ll be a tax write-off,” said executive director-elect Carolyn Bradford.

In the past year, the group has also been adopted by the Health Center and become part of the Office for Health Promotion, which provides the group with resources and supplies to reach its goals.

One constant within the SafeRides program has been a dedication to fund raising.

“We currently have a little over $18, 000,” Bradford said. “Because we can’t currently drive, we’re letting it sit in the bank and gather interest.”

To raise money, SafeRides has held events  to get the JMU community involved with its cause, holding such fund raisers such as the Hot Rod Hot Bod Date Auction as well as a Rock Off — the SafeRides equivalent to a battle of the bands. This continued support has helped contribute to SafeRides’ ultimate goal — providing rides for anyone in need of assistance on a Friday or Saturday night.

Currently, SafeRides is working to reach nonprofit status within the next year so the program can drive safely as soon as possible.

“We’ve made a lot of really good renovations to our organization, not necessarily changing it, but improving it and making it better,” Bradford said.

Despite numerous setbacks, the members remain optimistic.

“We have new General Body members — and they’ve helped us become the best yet,” Bradford said. “It’s really boosted our organization, and this new blood has given us great new ideas.”

Questions about the SafeRides Program can be directed to jmu.saferides@gmail.com.