The Mission Van Collaborative (MVC), a non-profit shuttle service for Mission youth programs, has been forced to close permanently due to a cancellation of funding as of July 31.

Founded in 2001 as an extension of the Jamestown Community Center, MVC supplied transportation needs for community organizations such as the Mission Language and Vocational School (MLVS), Mission Graduates and the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center for students ranging from grades 1-12.

“We will now have to rent vans for these events, which will throughout the year cost Mission Graduates thousands of dollars,” said Mission Graduates Executive Director, Edward Kaufman. “Every dollar that (Mission Graduates) spends on transportation will be (money) taken away from direct services and support for students and families.”

Since 2010, MVC received its funding from the Department for Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF), a Bay Area non-profit that specializes in community and youth programs.

“The DCYF has not traditionally funded transportation,” said Executive Director of DCYF Maria Su. “When our funding was less than in previous years we had to make a decision to put funds that were available into direct social programs or transportation… the need for social programs had to take priority.”

Helping thousands of Mission youths over 12 years of age gain safe and reliable access to activities like after-school programs and field trips, the MVC closure signals a blow to both parents and youth organizations in the Mission.

“In the winter months is where we will be begin seeing problems,” said MVC Manager Stephen Moss, commenting on how the closure of MVC will affect the younger children that utilized the program. “When it begins getting dark early, this will be an issue for child safety, especially those living out in the Bayview-Hunters Point areas.”

Safety is only one of the impending issues facing members of the community who have counted on the MVC’s shuttle services. “The MVC has served San Francisco for over 12 years as a safe alternative to shuttle children to school, sports venues, field trips, to their home or back to their programs,” said Rosamunda Ayala, coordinator at MLVS. “(It is) imperative that both parents and the programs which depend on the MVC start making appropriate transportation arrangements for the upcoming academic 2013-2014 scholastic calendar.