Children, veterans, seniors and medical patients now have more travel options, thanks to the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s award of $8.2 million in grants to 18 non-profit groups in Riverside County.

The Commission approved the specialized transit grant awards on April 11, following the evaluation of applications submitted by non-profit organizations. The grants are funded in three-year cycles by Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County.

In Norco, seniors and military veterans will be able to have continued door-to-door shuttles for grocery shopping, medical appointments and other trips. Norco’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department received $281,000 for its Seniors on the Move shuttle service.

“The City is grateful to RCTC for this generous grant, which would be valuable to any city, but is particularly beneficial to Norco seniors,” said Norco City Council Member Berwin Hanna.

Other grants include:

• Blindness Support Services, Inc., $220,000
• Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley, $405,000
• Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County, $630,000
• Care-A-Van Transit, Inc., $1.1 million
• Care Connexxus, $765,000
• Community Connect 211-Vetlink, $193,133
• Community Connect Transportation Access Program, $360,000
• Valley Resource Center for the Retarded, Inc., $179,000
• Forest Folk, Inc./Idyllwild Area Shuttle, $173,640
• Friends of Moreno Valley, $313,029
• Independent Living Partnership, $1.3 million
• Michelle’s Place, $30,000
• Operation Safehouse, $112,400
• Riverside University Health Medical Center, $960,000
• Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health, $660,000
• U.S. Veterans Initiative, $129,000
• Voices for Children, $330,805