Uber provides $19 m for supporting global fight against COVID-19

26 / 05 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

Uber has so far allocated a total of 19 million-dollar financial assistance for supporting the global fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Uber has announced its financial assistance policy which provides up to 14 days of financial assistance to drivers and delivery people diagnosed with an active case of COVID-19 or those who have been told to individually quarantine because they have preexisting conditions that put them at a higher risk of suffering serious illness from COVID-19.

A total of 48,892 drivers and delivery people have received financial assistance.

The company has also been providing masks and launched its COVID-19 resources hub to help drivers and delivery people do their work safely.

The company allocated a total of $ 50 million to secure personal protective equipment (PPE) for drivers and delivery people globally.

Under this measure, a total of 450,000 drivers and delivery people have received PPE so far.

The company purchased about 28.5 million masks and 1 million cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers for drivers and delivery people globally.

Uber has also launched a Work Hub to help drivers to find other work, whether with Uber or another company. This initiative was launched in five countries.

Moreover, Uber teams are working 24/7 to assist public health authorities in their response to the pandemic, and to take actions that support drivers and delivery people and customers.

To ensure Uber’s efforts are grounded in the latest medical advice, the company is consulting with an epidemiologist and are engaged with top experts.

Among the initiatives launched was Uber Health which aimed at helping provide transportation for frontline health care workers, both to and from patients’ homes, as well as between healthcare facilities.

In the US, Uber is partnering with 1199SEIU, one of the country’s largest healthcare unions, to help frontline healthcare workers with the closest proximity to areas most affected by the pandemic.

The company has donated 1 million dollars in rides and food to healthcare workers in New York City.

In regions outside of the US, Uber launched Uber Medics to support frontline workers, and in London it is offering 200,000 free rides to all National Health Service (NHS) staff. The company is also committing 300,000 free meals to first responders and healthcare workers in the US and Canada, 100,000 in London and 25,000 in Australia and New Zealand.

Uber has also launched discounted rides in SF, Washington DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Seattle to connect low-income and vulnerable communities to food.

The company helped vulnerable populations and frontline healthcare workers through nationwide partnerships with Feeding America and World Central Kitchen. It is delivering medication in South Africa together with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in India by working with MedLine.

In Spain, it has partnered with Save the Children to deliver essential goods to those in need.

Furthermore, the company was keen to curb a surge in domestic violence. Therefore, Uber has partnered with domestic violence organizations and local governments in 35 cities across 16 countries to provide 50,000 free rides to shelters and safe spaces, and more than 45,000 free meals.

Uber has played a pivotal role in many countries at different levels to support the fight against the pandemic within the framework of its commitment to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).