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Mesa and Tucson to get a slice of $1 million in DoorDash gift cards to help the hungry

DoorDash to partner with mayors across the country to address food insecurity.

azcentral

Mayors across the country, including in Mesa and Tucson, are partnering with DoorDash on a new initiative to combat food insecurity. 

The food delivery company will split $1 million in gift cards between the two Arizona cities and 16 others around the country. DoorDash also will provide food access data on the city or local food organizations.

The partnership could expand Project Dash, its “social impact program” that helps deliver food from the banks to homes. Currently, the program partners with Sahuarita Food Bank in Pima County and St. Mary’s Food Bank, Resurrection Street Ministry and Solari, Inc. in Maricopa County.

1 in 9 Arizonans struggle to get food

One in nine Arizonans face food insecurity, according to Arizona Food Bank Network. More than half of Mesa Public School elementary students are on free and reduced lunch, according to data provided by the city. 

Mesa Mayor John Giles’ work to combat hunger and food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic helped establish strong relationships with local food banks, said Casey Blake, the mayor’s spokesperson.

It’s one of the reasons why Mesa may have been chosen to partner with DoorDash, Blake said.

Mesa is in the beginning stages of establishing how the city will access the benefits. More details on the program could come in the next few weeks, she said. 

Leaders gathered this week for the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in 50 years. 

“DoorDash and local leaders are joining together to advance the conference’s goal of solving hunger by 2030,” the company said in an announcement.

 


Register for the Council’s upcoming Phoenix and Tucson tech events and Optics Valley optics + photonics events.


 

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