The program is helping Americans overcome the barrier to nutritious food.
Grocery Run
In December, rideshare company Lyft announced a pilot program to offer some Washington D.C. residents $2.50 flat-rate rides to their local grocery stores. And now it's expanding the program to more than a dozen additional cities — with the promise to add even more in the future.
"Access to healthy food is a significant issue for millions of people in the U.S.," Lyft's head of social impact told Futurism via a statement. "We've seen the impact that affordable and reliable transportation can have on families through our Grocery Access Program in DC, which is why we're launching the program nationwide, alongside local nonprofits and organizations who will help us reach those who need it most."
Food Desert
An estimated 23.5 million people in the United States live in food deserts, which are places with limited or even nonexistent access to affordable and healthy foods.
This leaves them little choice but to eat unhealthy meals rather than ones comprising fresh produce and other healthy ingredients — but Lyft's Grocery Access Program is changing that.
"My kids and I have made healthier choices," D.C. pilot participant Latinique Cooper said in a statement shared with Futurism by Lyft. "For example, instead of buying lunch at a fast food restaurant, we bought ingredients for Hoagie sandwiches... My kids and I made sandwiches together and enjoyed our Saturday afternoon."
READ MORE: Removing Transportation Barriers to Healthy Food [Lyft]
More on food deserts: Urban Farming Is the Future of Agriculture
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