TOPSHAM — American Cancer Society has been chosen as a recipient of the 2012 Bowdoin College Common Good Grant to help support their Road to Recovery Program.

Since 2001, an anonymous alumni donor has contributed $10,000 annually for Bowdoin students to allocate to local agencies to fund new initiatives, as well as maintain existing programs, a news release explains.

Acting much like a community foundation, students evaluate grant proposals to determine which local non-profits will receive the Common Good Grants each spring. The purpose of the program is to provide students an opportunity to learn about grants, foundations and philanthropy while becoming familiar with local non-profit organizations.

ACS’s Road to Recovery program matches volunteer drivers with cancer patients to provide safe and reliable transportation to and from cancer treatment, the release continues. The program is one of ACS’s most requested patient services and is important in Maine due to the rural nature of the state. In some areas of Maine it may be a two hour drive to the nearest cancer treatment facility. In other areas the challenge for a cancer patient may simply be getting across town for treatment.

ACS is now recruiting volunteers throughout Maine to ensure that all cancer patients have transportation to and from their treatments.

For more information about becoming a Road to Recovery driver, or to learn about other volunteer opportunities at ACS, contact Terry Baker at 373-3716 or email Terry.Baker@cancer.org.