A resident from Philadelphia Housing Authority's Nellie Reynolds Gardens development speaks with staffers from Lyft at the Grocery Access Program kickoff.
Stephen McCurdy/Lyft A resident from Philadelphia Housing Authority's Nellie Reynolds Gardens development speaks with staffers from Lyft at the Grocery Access Program kickoff.

North Philadelphia residents living in food deserts will have access to fresh and healthy groceries through Lyft’s Grocery Access Program, in partnership with the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and Uplift Solutions.

The six-month pilot will run from Sept. 1 through Feb. 29, with plans to extend the program to reach more residents in the future. The initiative offers underserved families living in areas surrounding PHA sites in North Philadelphia a $2.50 flat-rate fare on eight rides per month, or one roundtrip per week, to and from the nearby ShopRite and Fresh Grocer stores.

“This initiative will connect families to healthy food options that they would otherwise not be able to access,” said PHA president and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah. “The PHA is proud to collaborate with Lyft and Uplift to create healthier Philadelphia communities one ride at a time.”

Transportation can be a hurdle for families facing food insecurity. The Lyft program was first piloted in Washington, D.C., last year with Philadelphia being the 10thmarket to launch. Lyft also announced in mid-August that it is bringing the program to Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood. The company has been able to provide thousands of families with affordable rides and plans to continue to roll out the initiative throughout North America as part of Lyft City Works, its commitment to deploy 1% of profits or $50 million annually to help make cities more livable.

“We are committed to empowering local organizations doing incredible work to make communities stronger, healthier, and more equitable—and we’re proud to partner with the PHA and Uplift Solutions to make the Grocery Access Program a reality for Philadelphia residents in need,” said Andrew Woolf, Lyft regional director of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. “It’s our civic responsibility to address key problems our communities are facing through better access to transportation, with the goal of improving life in all areas of Philadelphia, and we’re thrilled to help bring this initiative to Philly.”