‘A blessing’: Buffalo native helping women who feel uncomfortable using ridesharing companies
By Yoselin Person
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BUFFALO, New York (WKBW) — A Buffalo native is stepping up to the plate to help women who may feel uncomfortable using ride-sharing companies.
Sparkle George is a residential counselor who works with people with intellectual and physical disabilities. She has a passion for helping others including women and children.
George shares with 7 News reporter Yoselin Person she started noticing an increase in women talking about feeling uncomfortable booking rideshare companies.
“I’ve started noticing an increase of women in my timeline talking about feeling uncomfortable and incidents of assault,” she says. “So I started offering my services because of that reason and also to help people save money just so they can feel more comfortable to go to their destination.”
George charges $15 for one way and $20 in total wherever the destination is.
Alexandrea Verdugo, who is now one of George’s regular riders, shares her moments of feeling unsafe.
“That person brought me to the wrong destination and I had to argue with the driver to bring me to the right destination,” she expresses. “I had to argue with them to put the right address on the GPS. Then he brought me to the right destination, locked the doors and I had to call my manager to help me.”
Now with George’s initiative riders like Verdugo can feel safer.
“It’s a blessing in disguise,” Verdugo says. “I feel like this is going to save a lot of women and children.”
George says she’s considering creating an app for the services.
“I’m definitely considering starting the app and I have other women that are reaching out to me that are willing to help,” she says. “Life is stressful enough and you have to worry about paying bills and putting food on the table and whether there’s a possibility of getting assaulted. That shouldn’t be something that anybody has to worry about.”
If interested in booking George for a personal ride-share you can reach her at 716-247-8731.
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