Providing Access to Meals and Essential Items for Veterans and Their Caregivers
Navy veteran Celina Larkins lives in Northeast Florida. After completing her military service, Celina received a PTSD diagnosis and experienced a period of homelessness. She is now housed, but with a limited monthly income and no car, it’s hard for Celina to reach the food pantries to get the food she needs. Starting in September 2020, DoorDash’s Project DASH delivered weekly meals to her and hundreds of other veterans experiencing food insecurity through a year-long partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs and United Way of Northeast Florida.
“I ride the bus to the grocery store, and I can’t purchase the nonperishables that are too heavy to carry. The deliveries have helped me get the food that I need to have guaranteed meals.” – Celina Larkins, Navy veteran
DoorDash is also providing access to meals and essential items to veterans and veteran caregivers facing hardship through our Community Credits program. In the United States, we’re donating an additional $25,000 in Community Credits to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation which supports military caregiver families, following our earlier donation this year. In Canada, we’re donating $25,000 CAD in Community Credits to The Royal Canadian Legion which supports Canadian veterans and their families in need.
“I enjoyed this service as a treat for both my veteran son who I care for and me. I look forward to also utilizing it for grocery stores that offer DoorDash. It was a nice surprise and treat as we usually eat frozen meals through this pandemic or use drive thrus. Both of us are homebound and don’t go out to eat so this brought the eating out to us for a change and it was appreciated.” – Missouri-based caregiver for her veteran son supported by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Empowering Customers and Dashers to Support Veterans Organizations
This Veterans Day, we’re making it possible for customers to support those who have served by highlighting veteran-owned businesses in Atlanta, GA through a partnership with Operation Homefront.
Operation Homefront was also featured in the Dasher Giveback Sweepstakes earlier this year, in which Dashers were able to direct DoorDash donations to causes that are important to them. We provided $100,000 total to two veterans organizations selected by Dashers.
To commemorate Remembrance Day, HomeEquity Bank is partnering with DoorDash to make “Orders of Sacrifice”: historically-accurate recreations of field rations kits that include staple food items found in military haversacks during the Second World War. The kits are available for customers in select neighborhoods in Toronto to order via DoorDash. HomeEquity Bank will donate proceeds from these kits to the Legion National Foundation.
Providing Opportunities for Military Spouses and Launching the Veterans Employee Resource Group
Employees and Dashers who have served their country have been an important part of the work we do on a daily basis. According to our national Dasher survey, nearly one in six Dashers report being veterans and/or having veterans in their household. This year DoorDash joined the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership, which provides career opportunities for military spouses.
We’re also excited to announce the launch of our Veterans@DoorDash Employee Resource Group (ERG) which will support and promote our community of proud veteran employees through shared experiences, veteran recruitment, career development, outward engagement, professional growth, and retention.
“We are deeply honored to launch the Veterans@ ERG on Veterans Day as we honor veterans who have served and celebrate and thank those who are still serving. Veterans’ military experience is invaluable and brings a strong and diverse background to the DoorDash community. The purpose of Veterans@ is to connect and build a community of veterans at DoorDash who will help each other while developing personally and professionally.” – Cassie Cristo and Stephen Cotman, Co-Chairs, Veterans@DoorDash
DoorDash is proud to support veterans and their families throughout the year. To all the courageous veterans and to those who care for you: we at DoorDash thank you for your service and sacrifice.
