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From Cook County, Minnesota - August 2, 2024

Boreal Partners Transit, a collaboration between Care Partners of Cook County and Cook County Public Health and Human Services introduce an accessible van, a new community resource, at the Fisherman’s Picnic Parade.

Cook County Public Health and Human Services and Care Partners of Cook County are working together to bring a new program, Boreal Partners Transit, to the county. The project will address a current transportation gap by providing a lift-equipped, mobility-accessible vehicle for the Cook County In-Home Support Program and Care Partners of Cook County.

Cook County PHHS received the keys to a 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan earlier this year. The van purchase was supported, in part, by a Live Well at Home grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and North Shore Health Care Foundation. The van is ADA compliant and can transport up to two individuals in wheelchairs and will be utilized to transport people aged 65 and older to and from medical appointments. The Boreal Partners van will make its community debut at the August 4 Fisherman’s Picnic Parade in Grand Marais.

Transportation is an important element of access to health care since challenges with transportation can affect a person’s ability to initiate or follow through with medical appointments. Throughout the U.S., people living in rural areas such as Cook County report both greater struggles with transportation and longer travel distances to access health care than the population in general. Cook County PHHS is proud to work with Care Partners of Cook County in addressing this critical gap in our communities.

Boreal Partners Transit is currently seeking volunteer drivers.  For more information on how to become a driver for the program or how to access this resource contact Cook County Public Health & Human Services at 218-387-3620 and ask to speak with Laura Nelson or Martina Johnson.

This project is made possible with generous support from the MN Department of Human Services: Live Well at Home grants, MnDOT Moving Greater Minnesota Forward, and the North Shore Health Care Foundation.

About Boreal Transit Partners

Boreal Transit Partners is a newly established collaboration of government and non-profit service providers, aiming to address unmet transportation needs for residents throughout Cook County.

About Cook County, MN 

Cook County encompasses the sovereign nation of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; the City of Grand Marais; the Townships of Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder; and unincorporated areas in the easternmost part of Minnesota’s North Shore. Cook County Government values transparency and strives to deliver superior services and programs in a fiscally responsible way. We value the dignity of all County residents and seek to create a community that provides opportunity for all. Many of our offices are in the Cook County Courthouse at 411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais 55604. Other departments and facilities, such as the Airport, Community Center, Highway and Sheriff are located nearby. Call 218-387-3000 or visit: https://co.cook.mn.us