FLORENCE, Ky. — Gas prices may have slightly taken a dip for some, but many are still feeling the pinch at the pump, including one Northern Kentucky nonprofit founder who is going the extra mile to help others even as costs keep climbing.
Eric Lytle is the founder of the Bluegrass Outreach Initiative, a nonprofit that delivers free medical equipment directly to people's doorsteps.
"Might have to do one day there, one day here, versus driving back and forth and kinda using more gas. I try to do so anyway, but even more restricted now because the prices of gas," Lytle said.
The organization serves communities all across Northern Kentucky. One recent delivery was for a person who had broken a bone and was struggling with the crutches provided by a local hospital.
"They have not been able to safely use the crutches, so they posted in a local neighborhood group on Facebook that they needed a knee scooter. I reached out to them, and our nonprofit is giving them a knee scooter and a rolling walker so they can kind of safely move around a little," Lytle said.
Lytle launched the Bluegrass Outreach Initiative in January and uses his own car to make deliveries, meaning higher gas prices hit his wallet directly. He fills up about twice a week and says what used to cost $50 to $60 for his car has climbed significantly.
WATCH: Northern Kentucky nonprofit that delivers free medical equipment feels gas price pinch
"We're in the $70-$80 range now, almost twice the amount it was," Lytle said.
That puts his weekly gas spending between $150 to $200, on top of other rising costs. The price of his storage unit also increased, though he was able to find an alternative.
"Fortunately, we were able to find another company that was willing to lock our prices in for a year because we are a nonprofit. Might have been a blessing in disguise, but it was still a lot to do with everything else going on," Lytle said.
The higher costs have also had a direct impact on the people the nonprofit serves.
"The downside to that is it takes people longer to get the things they need because I have to space out deliveries," Lytle said.
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