Edmonton fundraiser provides free transportation for those in need

EDMONTON — An Edmonton fundraiser has raised enough money to provide 100,000 ETS tickets to passengers in need.

The City of Edmonton’s 2015 DONATE-A-RIDE campaign has raised a record-breaking $242,685.

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“Thanks to the generosity of donors from across our community, Edmontonians who need to get to a job interview, a medical appointment, or other essential services will be able to enjoy a quality of life many of us take for granted,” said campaign chair Councillor Dave Loken.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Thanks to the generosity of donors from across our community, Edmontonians who need to get to a job interview, a medical appointment, or other essential services will be able to enjoy a quality of life many of us take for granted," said campaign chair Councillor Dave Loken.

The tickets will be handed out at local social services agencies in Edmonton.

Despite the growth there are not enough free tickets to meet the demand, says Loken.

“That’s just the symptom of a growing city right. We’re growing at an average of 30,000 people a year, not all those folks are in high income brackets.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That's just the symptom of a growing city right. We're growing at an average of 30,000 people a year, not all those folks are in high income brackets."

WATCH: Homelessness on the decline in Edmonton

The campaign started last November, with the goal of surpassing the 2014 total of $200,000 which resulted in more than 85,000 Edmonton Transit tickets being distributed.

DONATE-A-RIDE started in 1996, providing low-income Edmontonians transportation for educational and employment opportunities, as well as connecting to social services.