Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is so important to so many people right now.
For some, there are hurdles to clear in order to get the shot -- one of which is simply finding the transportation to get there.
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Uber recently launched the Vaccine Access Fund, which allows customers to donate so as to provide free rides to those who need to get vaccinated and don’t have transportation.
From the get-go, Uber, Walgreens and PayPal pitched in $11 million to the initiative, which is managed by a nonprofit called Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
LISC grants money to local organizations that deliver social and economic services, especially those “disproportionately affected by the pandemic.”
The money that’s donated will be distributed to the local community and LISC will provide the technical support on which people can book rides, regardless of whether they have a smartphone or credit card, Uber said.
In a news release from Uber, officials said the company had already begun to see the impact from providing rides.
“From Los Angeles to Jersey City, we have been working with cities and nonprofits to help provide rides to vaccination sites. In Atlanta last month, Uber and Walgreens partnered with three prominent churches to vaccinate nearly 5,000 people over three days.”
If you’d like to help someone get access to his or her vaccine, you can tap or click here to donate, or Uber users can open one of their Uber apps, tap the “donate” message and choose the amount.
Uber said when rides are no longer needed, all remaining funds will be used to advance health equity in underserved communities, including helping to provide rides to medical appointments.