Ritu Jha-
An Indian American Sikh couple who run a gas station and a convenience store in Phoenix, Arizona have become local heroes for providing free car rides to seniors. In June this year, Ramandeep Kaur and her husband Jaswinder Singh came into the limelight for offering gas at a price lower than the market rate when the fuel prices had skyrocketed.
When they began their low-price gas service, Kaur said, several people walked into their convenience store CK Food Mart at the corner of Osborn Road and 20th Street and blessed them. “A few well-wishers had no car, and this is when we got the idea of starting a free car ride service for those who do not own one, especially seniors,” she said. “Many of those who came to meet us had carpooled and had no vehicle of their own.”
It was then the Kaur and Singh thought of starting a service for seniors. “Many seniors cannot afford a taxi to the airport. It’s expensive, and given the inflation even more so. We thought of starting a service for any senior wanting a ride.”
The Sikh couple formed a non-profit called CK Community Services to offer free rides to seniors to the airport, banks, and pharmacies. The service covers an area of 10 miles radius around city of Phoenix at present. “We plan to launch this service in other cities,” Kaur said.
To create awareness about the service, the couple is reaching out to the media. They are working on a website and have put a big banner at the gas station. “CK Community Services is a non-profit. We will buy a few cars,” Singh said, who, at present, has only one car.
The car used for the rides is their personal car. “In the past two weeks, we have offered three rides to our seniors,” Singh said. “This is our service to the community. This is what our culture and our religion teach us.”
Singh said the government does provide free rides, but only to doctors, and not to banks, airports or grocery stores. “Our seniors need care. We are starting from Phoenix, but our dream is to cover the whole of the US.”
He added, “It will be challenging to expand and manage, but when you work hard and your family is supporting you, then nothing is impossible.”
Kaur, a native of Patiala in the Indian state of Punjab, came to the US in 1999. Her husband, who hails from Balachaur in the same Indian state, came to the US in 1999. “Our vision is to launch this service in every US state,” they said.
Indian American Sikh couple start free car rides for seniors in Phoenix, AZ
