Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
DARTS programs are organized into four areas with the common goal of supporting older adults and their caregivers with a specific emphasis on Dakota County. However, many of our services such as transportation, our information line, our caregiver support, and our Learning Buddies tutoring program extend into neighboring counties.
In 2015, we saw the following growth in service demand:
27% increase in requests for aging resources and information
12% increase in homes cleaned by our part-time, paid homemakers
10% increase in Outdoor Chores clients served by volunteers and paid staff
10% increase in total number of clients receiving Home Services and Caregiving Support
Two new transportation programs launched: DARTS Direct provides group rides to residents of various senior living communities. DARTS Circulator Loops offer scheduled-route rides in West St. Paul. A Burnsville loop was planned for early 2016.
Current Goals
Reach More Constituents - Serve more seniors by operating 5 circulator transportation routes and increasing Let DARTS Do It clients 15%. Increase awareness of the services for caregivers. Conduct thorough process improvement study in Community Services and Transportation, prepare to update client and transportation management software and measure results to serve more seniors with the same administration staffing.
Increase volunteer base to 1,000 people and 20,000 hours of service per year - increase number of Learning Buddies and celebrate 20th year for the program.
Leverage key partnerships for emerging demographics. Reshape services for next generation needs. Try new technology to deliver services as a pilot.
Community or Constituency Served
DARTS services focus on older adults (aged 50+) and their caregivers. DARTS services are available to any income level and trained staff can help individuals determine if they qualify for any subsidies. DARTS also serves youth in Dakota County through its Learning Buddies program which helps students in grades 1-3 with reading, writing and math.
Geographic Area Served
DARTS serves people residing in and around Dakota County. Geography can vary depending upon funding sources.
