Good Samaritan Society – Florida Lutheran

Feb 21, 2011

(DeLand, Fla.) – Thanks to a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation, three new vehicles have been dedicated for service to residents of Good Samaritan Society – Florida Lutheran.

The new vehicles include two four-door, seven-passenger 2011 Ford Flexes for giving rides to independent and assisted living residents. A four-door 2011 Ford Taurus is used for healthcare center residents.

Administrator Jenny George (left) and Resource Development Director Barbara Robinson pose with the new vehicles.


Several Florida Lutheran staff members were involved in the grant process. Pictured from left are Chris Graham, director of transportation, Cassandra Ward, supervisor of transportation, Barbara Robinson, director of resource development, Jenny George, administrator, and Kristin Rosen, health center activity coordinator.

We applied for the grant in December 2009 and it was awarded in September 2010. Good things come to those who wait.

Since opening in 1957, Florida Lutheran has provided for the personal and medical needs of hundreds of seniors. Our residents are the reason we exist. Their needs and wishes are what drive us.

The outcome of our efforts directly benefits residents by making Florida Lutheran as comfortable and homelike as possible. We strive to accomplish this by offering more choices in daily routines and focusing on compassion, comfort and respect.

Escalating operating costs and decreasing funding severely restrict our ability to provide, on our own, all the amenities that our residents deserve. That is why fundraising and grants are so important.

In planning our goals for last year, it became apparent that we needed to raise $190,000 to meet transportation needs for our residents, 85 percent of whom depend on the center for doctor appointments, banking and shopping. The needs were three multi-passenger vehicles plus a wheelchair van.

Being blessed with the receipt of the state grant allows us to concentrate on raising funds for the wheelchair van. Thanks to the generosity of our residents, family members, auxiliary, staff members and benefactors, we are within $13,000 of our goal.

Please consider a donation to our wheelchair van fund by clicking "Donate" on the left side of this page. Donations can be made in memory of or in honor of a loved one or friend. All gifts are tax-deductible within IRS regulations.