In a letter to the Biden-Harris Administration, which has called for corporate America to help in the fight to end the pandemic, the CEOs of Uber, Paypal, Walgreens and LISC announced a new Vaccine Access Fund that will connect people with free rides to COVID-19 vaccine sites. LISC will administer the fund, helping close the gap for thousands of people, many of them seniors and others living in under-resourced communities, who have not been vaccinated yet because of lack of transportation.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Vice President Kamala Harris
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris,
Your administration has called on U.S. corporations to assist and support essential workers, families, and communities in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, our companies—Uber, PayPal, and Walgreens—have answered the call to support and expedite our nation's recovery. It is with great pride that we announce the creation of the Vaccine Access Fund, in partnership with the nonprofit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), to help eliminate transportation as a barrier to vaccination.
We recognize that in order to continue the remarkable pace of vaccinations administered in recent months, we must eliminate the barriers that prevent people from traveling to vaccination sites. As you are aware, this can be a significant challenge for people in underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic and those without access to personal cars, public transportation, smart phones, or credit cards.
The Vaccine Access Fund will help bridge that gap and make vaccine access more equitable. We will work with nonprofit organizations in underserved communities to facilitate and cover the full cost of rides to vaccine locations throughout the country. The fund will be managed by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a leading nonprofit supporting community development initiatives across the country. LISC will identify and coordinate funding to local partners serving communities that have been disproportionately and deeply impacted by the virus. These groups are at the forefront of equitable vaccine access, educating residents, providing language and digital support and helping seniors and people with disabilities with vital services. They are well-positioned to incorporate Uber rides into their broader efforts to advance pandemic relief, racial equity and economic opportunity
Uber, PayPal and Walgreens have initially contributed $11 million to the fund and look forward to welcoming new donors - including our users. Customers interested in donating to the Vaccine Access Fund can give through the PayPal Giving Fund, a registered 501(c)(3) charity, by visiting: https://www.paypal.com/vaccineaccessfund. On Monday, April 12, Uber also plans to announce a new in-app feature, which will give users the ability to make their own donations to benefit the fund through the PayPal Giving Fund in the Uber app.
Leveraging the ride-sharing technology of the Uber platform, the seamless digital payment and donation experience on PayPal Giving Fund, the extensive reach of Walgreens pharmacies, and the deep community roots of LISC, the Vaccine Access Fund will draw on the innovative tools developed by our respective firms to expand vaccine access and build upon the Biden-Harris administration's efforts. Over the past year, Uber has also launched a series of local community efforts in cities across the country. Partnerships with National Urban League, the Morehouse School of Medicine, the National Action Network, and the League of United Latin American Citizens have focused our efforts to reach the neediest in our communities.
Uber is broadly available in cities and municipalities across the U.S. In the context of vaccine distribution, this includes both urban areas where people are less likely to have a car and underserved communities where access to public transportation is scarce. Rides will be coordinated using Uber Health, a HIPAA-secure platform that enables organizations to request rides on behalf of others, including those without smartphones or credit cards.
PayPal is committed to democratizing financial services to improve the financial health of individuals and to increase economic opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, PayPal has been leveraging its services and resources to help customers and communities navigate the pandemic and forge a path to an inclusive recovery. To support small businesses facing devastating economic impacts from the pandemic, PayPal worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide access to more than $2 billion in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020. In June 2020, PayPal committed $535 million to racial equity initiatives that expand economic opportunity for underserved businesses and communities. PayPal remains committed to working with the Administration and partners to support underserved communities across the U.S.
Walgreens is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc, a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy. Walgreens not only has over 9100 pharmacies in communities across America, it has conducted nearly 500 COVID-19 vaccine clinics to date in underserved areas across the country. Hundreds more off-site clinics are planned for the months ahead with partners including Uber, local community organizations, and most recently, national partners including the 100 Black Men of America and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. To date, Walgreens pharmacy team members have provided more than 10 million COVID-19 vaccinations across the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including those in underserved communities, and will continue to focus on driving equitable access and removing access barriers for individuals hardest hit by the pandemic.
As one of the nation’s oldest and largest community development financial institutions (CDFIs), LISC has been deeply engaged in pandemic relief and recovery efforts, tapping its financial expertise and deep community connections to bridge gaps in health, wealth and opportunity that impact millions of Americans. In partnership with the public, private and philanthropic sectors, LISC has invested more than $24 billion over the last four decades to fuel affordable housing, small businesses, health, education, safety and jobs in urban and rural communities throughout the country.
Thank you for your effective leadership to address this great challenge. Moving forward, we stand ready to partner with the Biden-Harris administration to support and advance its recovery efforts.
Sincerely,
Dara Khosrowshahi, Chief Executive Officer, Uber
Dan Schulman, President & Chief Executive Officer, PayPal
John Standley, President, Walgreens
Lisa L. Glover, President & CEO, LISC
Related Stories:
Give a Ride, Get a Ride by Lisa Glover, LISC Interim President and CEO
LISC, Uber, PayPal and Walgreens Introduce Vaccine Access Fund