Transportation is essential to accessing grocery stores, shelter, employment, healthcare, and community resources. The past several years have exacerbated barriers to access already existing in some communities of color across the country. That’s why Lyft was proud to work with community organizations and leaders in Washington state, Massachusetts, and New York to launch local Racial Justice Alliances. Local leaders are selected by Lyft to form and serve in the local alliance. Alliance members then select quarterly grant recipients who are on the ground fighting to remove barriers created and reinforced by systemic racism. Alliance members awarded 44 organizations focused on serving communities of color with ride credit and cash grant support in 2022. The funding helps communities of color access essential services–from housing to healthy foods.
Lyft originally launched the Washington State local Racial Justice Alliance in 2021, as part of the Access Alliance commitment to provide 1.5 million rides to help communities of color. To date, the Washington Alliance alone has provided over $100,000 in cash and ride credit grants to 34 local organizations.
This fall, Lyft expanded the program to form alliances in Massachusetts and New York. The Massachusetts and New York alliances selected 26 grant recipients for cash and ride credit grants.
“In 2020, Lyft partnered with organizations across the country and made a 1.5 million rides commitment to address racial inequities by improving transportation access in communities that need it the most,” said Heather Foster, Lyft’s Head of Government Affairs. “This year, we doubled down on that commitment by launching and expanding our Lyft Racial Justice Alliance program in three states. We are proud to support organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and Washington state who are on the ground working to break down barriers to access and improve the lives of their communities.”
“The Lyft Racial Justice Alliance Grant supports our mission by providing safe and efficient transportation for our staff to bring affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate, fresh fruits and vegetables to our Farmshare sites, many of which are located in historically disenfranchised neighborhoods. The ride codes will increase our capacity to move food while maintaining the highest quality and freshness that our Shareholders are excited about and supports their health and wellbeing,” says Norma Gonzalez, MPH, CHES ®, Farmshare Manager, Corbin Hill Food Project in New York City
Lyft is proud to work with community leaders – who know their communities best – to support incredible on-the-ground efforts to reduce transportation barriers. We extend a heartfelt thank you to individuals at community organizations who devoted energy, time and thought into shaping their alliances and selecting on-the-ground grant recipients.
Lyft Racial Justice Alliance 2022 Members
Washington State
Asian Counseling and Referral Service
Community Passageways
Freedom Project
Minority Veterans of America - Seattle Chapter
Tacoma Urban League
Massachusetts
Amplify Latinx
The GK Fund
Java with Jimmy
We are Better Together
New York
Arab American Association of New York
Bronx Works
Chinese American Planning Council
Haitian American Caucus
Hispanic Federation
Urban Upbound
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this announcement are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws, including statements about the Lyft Racial Justice Alliances. Such statements, which are not of historical fact, involve estimates, assumptions, judgments and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors are detailed in Lyft’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lyft does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events, except as required by applicable law.