The American Red Cross recognizes the globe’s favorite ridesharing app for its generous and open-hearted pledge to the institution’s Disaster Responder Program.
Uber is making a whopping pre-disaster donation of $500,000, valid for over two years, to the Red Cross. This helps ensure the organization can swiftly respond to big and small disasters in the United States, helping people when they need the help the most.
The Red Cross is an institution that shelters, feeds, and offers comfort to victims of disasters. The American Red Cross also supplies approximately 40 percent of the country’s blood, teaches life-saving skills set, distributes humanitarian aid around the world, and supports veterans, military members and their kins. Responding to over 60,000 disasters in the country each year, this non-profit organization’s efforts won’t be possible without volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission across.
Members of the Disaster Responder team, together with employees and customers, are to pledge monetary and in-kind donations in advance of disasters to empower the non-profit organization with the infrastructure, volunteers, technologies, and resources to provide relief to the victims of a crisis.
Such donations are then going to enable the Red Cross to respond to disasters immediately, offering a safe place for sleeping, eating nutritious and delicious food, emotional support, and supplies to assist in the recovery, while likewise helping people and communities prepare for disasters in the future.
“Transportation plays an important role in the hours and days after a disaster,” Emilie Boman, the Head of Central Policy and Social Impact at Uber, told Ridesharing Forum. “Through our Disaster Responder partnership and ride and delivery credits, we aim to support the American Red Cross’ efforts to connect people to shelter, medical care, food, and other essential services when it matters most.”
Apart from this initiative, Uber is also providing $150,000 in rides and meals credits to support the service delivery of the Red Cross in the wake of disasters. Through this, the Red Cross can mobilize the Uber app to help people gain access to essential medicare, food, and support services, similar to what happened during the disasters in the Pacific Northwest.
Ridesharing Forum correspondents also spoke with Anne McKeough, the chief development officer at the American Red Cross, who stated, “Increasing severe weather events mean that families are relying on the Red Cross now more than ever. We are so thankful for Disaster Responder members like Uber for their support that helps power our preparedness and relief efforts, ensuring we can immediately provide hope and comfort to those facing their darkest day.”
Donations that will be collected from the Disaster Responder Initiative will also be supporting the basic needs for families affected by home fires – which consist of a huge percentage of the response efforts of the Red Cross – helping ensure this team can continue teaching people nationwide about disaster preparedness so they can cope with crises in their communities when the unexpected happens.
Uber is an easy-to-use app that lets you order rides, track them, and wait for them to appear at your curbside. It also has a food delivery division in the guise of Uber Eats.