Albertsons, DoorDash Aid United Way Home Delivery Program
Albertsons Cos. Foundation will work with local United Way chapters to support the expanding Ride United home delivery program in Safeway and Albertsons stores in Oregon and Washington state, along with Vons, Pavilions and Albertsons stores in Southern California.
Launched in response to the COVID-19 crisis and rising levels of hunger in communities across the United States, the program expansion will bring food and supplies to vulnerable populations in more parts of the country.
United Way is also teaming up with DoorDash, the on-demand local logistics platform, to offer food delivery in eight communities: Akron, Ohio; Baltimore; Hartford, Connecticut; New Orleans; New York City; Tallahassee and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and Ventura County, California. The partnership leverages DoorDash’s last-mile logistics platform, including its fleet of Dashers, to enable deliveries from local food banks, food pantries and other distribution points to senior citizens, low-income families, and those who can’t leave home, providing meals to those in need and flexible earnings opportunities for Dashers.
Since embarking on their partnership in April, DoorDash, United Way and 211, a free, confidential service that connects people to available help and info across North America, have already delivered 15,000-plus food boxes. To address the increasing needs placed on it, DoorDash has ramped up the development of its local logistics infrastructure to support the scale necessary to power the delivery of food and essential supplies to those who need them.
“DoorDash’s mission is grounded in building technology to solve real problems and empower local communities,” said Tony Xu, CEO and co-founder of the San Francisco-based company. “In the face of COVID-19, a tremendous need has emerged for last-mile deliveries of food and supplies, particularly for seniors, the immuno-compromised, low-income students, and families that are at risk. We’re proud to partner with United Way to accelerate our shared efforts to serve our communities during this critical time.”
In March, DoorDash spearheaded a free grocery delivery program for shoppers age 60 and older, also including fellow e-commerce services Freshop, GrocerKey, Mercato and Rosie, and encompassing orders from local specialty markets, independent grocers and major regional chains.
Additional philanthropic and in-kind contributions for Ride United come from The Rockefeller Foundation and the Why Not You Foundation, led by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Ciara.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, United Way has been doing what we’ve always done when communities struggle – help people respond, recover and rebuild,” noted Brian Gallagher, president and CEO of Aleandria, Va.-based United Way Worldwide. “Yet with individuals and families facing ongoing financial challenges, we know their needs will continue, especially when it comes to putting food on the table. We appreciate The Rockefeller Foundation, DoorDash, Albertsons, and Ciara and Russell Wilson joining us to help more people access food through Ride United. Solving problems sustainably takes partnership, and by working together, we can make sure every person gets the support they need in this difficult time.”
United Way’s Ride United was originally launched in 2019 to leverage local United Way chapters and 211 agencies in 27 cities across 17 states to provide rides to job interviews, medical appointments, grocery stores, food pantries and the like.
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates 2,252 retail stores with 1,726 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 23 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The company's stores predominantly operate under the banners Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, and Haggen. Albertsons is No. 8 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer