WCP | Lyft and Martha's Table Partner to Get Ward 7 and 8 Residents to Grocery Stores

December 15, 2018 The Advoc8te

Ride-sharing company Lyft is teaming up with Martha's Table to help residents living in D.C.'s biggest food deserts access groceries. The six-month pilot program kicking off in January will allow select Ward 7 and 8 families to pay a $2.50 flat fee for shared rides to and from the three full-service grocery stores east of the river, plus the lobby market at Martha's Table located at 2375 Elvans Road SE. There are two Safeways (322 40th St. NE and 2845 Alabama Ave. SE) and one Giant (1535 Alabama Ave. SE). Lyft and Martha's Table will identify 500 families to participate in the initial "Lyft Grocery Access" program. Each family must have a child enrolled at one of seven elementary schools in order to qualify: Anne Beers Elementary School, Garfield Elementary School, Moten Elementary School, Rocketship Rise Academy, Savoy Elementary School, Stanton Elementary School, and Turner Elementary School. Families with children participating in educational programs through Martha's Table are also eligible. Martha's Table is a nonprofit that's been working to increase access to healthy food in the District since 1980. "We believe that access to healthy food is a basic human right and everyone regardless of zip code deserves it," says Caron Gremont, the organization's senior director of health and wellness initiatives. "East of the river, they don't have the same opportunities as the rest of residents do in D.C. It's just wrong." She calls the Lyft partnership an innovative way for the private sector to be part of the solution.

LAURA HAYES, WASHINGTON CITY PAPER