Urban League, City of Boston and Lyft Partner in Health Access Initiative

The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts (Boston, MA) recently announced its Holistic Health Access Initiative, which will allow citizens 60 and older to access five free Lyft rides with the intention of using the ride for health and wellness-related errands and activities.

“ It’s an opportunity to address some of the concerns around health access for seniors in the city of Boston. It is a partnership between the city of Boston, the Urban League, and Lyft. I think given the concerns around health equity issues and the disparities and health outcomes in communities of color, we felt it would be important to increase access,” said Rahsaan D. Hall, Esq., President and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.

The organization has not attempted the pilot program in the past, however, its immediate reception by the public, especially the demographic it is tailored to serve, has been promising. Since the initiative’s unveiling last week, senior citizens have utilized over 16 free rides.

The positive reactions to the Urban League’s pilot program have sparked thought about potentially carrying the program over into the spring. The initial reason for the initiative being to help senior citizens move around during the colder months raised questions about transportation for the remainder of the year.

“It’s a pilot, so we’re going see how well it goes and see how many people take advantage of it and see if we can get additional funding to continue the program,” Hall said.

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