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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2019

Contact: Jessica Mathias
612-338-5577
jmathias@oyh.org

 

Open Your Heart Rideshare Project shows the benefits of ridesharing in connecting people in need with rides to work, school, services

 

Grant program boosted nonprofits serving homeless and high-risk individuals across the state 

 

Minneapolis, MN - A new report from the non-profit organization Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless found that ridesharing services such as Lyft and Uber can help at-risk Minnesotans secure housing, work towards maintaining employment, access medical appointments, and much more while allowing staff who serve them use their time more efficiently. 

The report includes data from a Ridesharing Demonstration Project that Open Your Heart conducted in 2018 with six non-profit agencies located in Rochester, Mankato, St. Cloud and Moorhead. Open Your Heart provided technical assistance and funding towards rides through ridesharing – funding more than 4,200 rides to work, medical appointments, crisis services, and school for Minnesotans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. 
 
The participating agencies helped clients secure rides using Lyft and Uber to access crisis services, court, education, employment, housing, medical appointments, and any other services that would help an individual get back on their feet.
 
“We know that a lack of reliable and affordable transportation options is a significant barrier for people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, to achieving stable housing and self-sufficiency,” said Jessica Mathias, Executive Director of Open Your Heart. “Ridesharing companies like Lyft and Uber have the potential to help people overcome that barrier, especially in places in Greater Minnesota that have limited public transit options. We learned through the Rideshare Demonstration Project that having access to a reliable ride helps individuals who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, secure housing, maintain employment and much more.”
 
The participating agencies are located in Mankato (which saw 1,351 rides through the project), Moorhead (487 rides), Rochester (623 rides) and St. Cloud (1,743 rides).
 
The agencies who participated in the project reported that having rides provided to clients through ridesharing helped clients secure housing, get to work, school or appointments, and save money. Without the Rideshare Demonstration project, some low-income clients would have had to pay for their own transportation, or not have made the trip otherwise. 
 
Additionally, not having to provide rides for clients, and knowing that their clients were able to depend on a reliable ride through Lyft or Uber, allowed staff at the participating agencies to use their time more efficiently. 

Success stories
 
Anna Marie’s Alliance, a private non-profit corporation in St. Cloud dedicated to providing safe shelter, support, and referral services for battered women and their children, was able to provide 927 rides to 1,324 clients. Ridesharing offered their clients – most of whom don’t have their own car – a safe ride to appointments.
 
CADA, an emergency shelter in Mankato serving women and children seeking safety from domestic violence, sexual violence, and sex trafficking, provided 864 rides. They report that transportation is often the number one barrier for low-income and undocumented families, and through the rideshare demonstration project, they were able to help women access resources, get to work and access safety in dangerous situations.
 
Catholic Charities Domus Transitional Housing in St. Cloud was able to provide 434 rides to 24 clients over the year. A lack of transportation options is a major issue for their clients experiencing homelessness. The Uber and Lyft rides provided to their clients, women who are low-income, homeless, and often leaving situations of chemical dependency or domestic abuse, gave the women more opportunities to be successful. Domus reports that a few of their clients were able to purchase their own vehicles after participating in the program because they were able to save money on transportation costs and maintain steady employment.
 
Women’s Shelter and Support Center in Rochester provided 623 rides to clients. In cases when an individual would call the Women’s Shelter seeking immediate safety, staff was able to use Lyft’s services to make a plan to help the person leave a violent situation. 
 
Partners for Affordable Housing in Mankato provided 487 rides to 38 clients, most of which would otherwise have been provided by staff. The rides gave clients more flexibility and independence while freeing up staff time to focus on the other services provided by the agency. One client – a husband and father working two jobs – was able to save enough money after using ridesharing provided through the grant program over the year to buy a low-cost car and secure an apartment for his family. 
 
This project was supported by grants from the Antioch Foundation, Sexton Family Foundation, Janice Gardner Foundation, Initiative Foundation, Mankato Clinic Foundation, Joseph Durda Foundation, and Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation.

Download a copy of the 2018 Rideshare Demonstration Project Final Report 

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Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless has over 29  years of experience as the only grant provider in Minnesota focused solely on alleviating hunger and homelessness statewide. Open Your Heart helps food and shelter providers of all sizes get the resources they need to serve more people, including mattresses, freezers, fresh produce, and roof repairs. They also support homeless students by providing school supplies, activity fees, gym shoes, tutoring materials and other essentials that help them engage fully in school.  
For more information visit www.oyh.org
 

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