GO! Transportation is hitting the road again this summer, launching its youth transportation initiative in partnership with Youth Art Team and SHIPHT. The program connects youth-serving nonprofits with safe, reliable transportation to remove barriers and increase access to activities.
The idea for GO! began with Youth Art Team in March 2023, when young artists identified transportation as one of the biggest hurdles to participation. With a single bus operated by local partner Dolly’s and seed funding from the McElroy Trust, Youth Art Team’s GO! Transportation Pilot provided over 800 door-to-door rides and nearly 200 routes for youth in Youth Art Team, Try Pie, and SHIPHT programs.
Now operating as its own organization with Waterloo Community Foundation as fiscal sponsor, GO! has formed a board of directors and welcomed its first full-time Executive Director, Teresa Tjaden. Tjaden brings more than eight years of nonprofit leadership, most recently as Executive Director of Americans for Independent Living (AFIL). She has a proven track record and is poised to guide GO! through its next phase of growth and collaboration. “I’m excited to bring my passion for community-centered solutions to GO! Transportation and work alongside this dedicated team,” said Teresa Tjaden. “Transportation is the bridge that connects young people to their potential.”
The GO! bus hit the road again in June for a soft relaunch, once more partnering with Youth Art Team and SHIPHT. By removing transportation as a barrier, GO! is transforming isolated programs into a connected network of opportunity—ensuring no young person’s potential is limited because they don’t have a ride.
GO! Transportation is growing strategically and sustainably to continue innovating transportation solutions that support youth access, organizational efficiency, and community impact simply by getting kids where they want to go.
If you would like to support GO! Transportation, gifts can be made online at https://wloocf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3013. Checks can also be mailed to the Waterloo Community Foundation, PO Box 1253, Waterloo, IA 50704. All checks can be made out to the Waterloo Community Foundation with “GO! Transportation” in the memo line.
Visit gotransportation.org to learn more!
