Residents in Sherburne County who need assistance have a resource many don’t even know about.

 

Tri-County Action Program (Tri-CAP) is a private, non-profit organization that provides services and programs that empower residents to achieve their goals and become economically self-sufficient.

 

Incorporated in 1965, the organization provides services mainly in Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties, but also assists people in Morrison, Pine, Kanabec, Isanti and Mille Lacs counties.

 

At a community partners meeting at the Friendly Buffalo in Big Lake Wednesday, Tri-CAP Executive Director Lori Schultz gave an overview about how Tri-CAP helps people in the community.

 

The organization provides energy assistance, housing assistance, nutrition assistance and has programs on home ownership, renting, weatherization and financial fitness.

 

“We’re helping people who are experiencing issues, whether they’ve lost their job recently and they need a pick-up just to keep going,” she said, “or it may be senior citizens on fixed incomes and they need to be able to meet their basic needs.”

 

Energy assistance programs help people pay their heating bills in the winter. It also helps with furnace replacement and repair.

 

Tri-CAP helps people who need food support by assisting them with their application. And the organization has a tax clinic at the Elk River YMCA where they prepare tax returns for free.

 

One of the more recent services Tri-CAP  provides in Sherburne County is transportation. Tri-CAP took over bus service in the county after the Sherburne County Board decided to dissolve a joint powers agreement with Wright County for the RiverRider Bus service in 2014.

 

Schultz said Tri-CAP has 21 vehicles, four of which operate out of Elk River.

 

“It’s public transit and  it’s for everyone,” she said.

 

The bus provides service within the City of Elk River from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

“We also have routes from Elk River to Big Lake and Zimmerman and special routes in other cities,” she said. “We also have a large volunteer driver program, mainly for people who need to get to medical appointments and social services.”

 

Last year, the bus service provided thousands of rides for people in Sherburne County who otherwise wouldn’t have had a ride. A survey showed 4,464 people used the service to commute to work; 5,929 used the bus for shopping, recreation or personal needs; 1,669 used the bus to get to a medial appointment and 1,350 rode the bus to school or training.

 

“And those are just the ones who filled out the survey,” said Schultz. “Ridership has increased since last year. I can’t wait to see the numbers for this year.”

 

In a one-year period from October, 2014 through September, 2015, Schultz said the Tri-CAP’s economic impact in Sherburne County was more than $1.8 million.

 

For more information about bus routes and rates, check their transportation page at www.tricap.org.