Empowering local economies is at the heart of DoorDash’s work and providing the communities we serve with access to food is an integral part of what we do every day. Central to DoorDash’s work to broaden food access is Project DASH, our initiative to empower food banks, food pantries, and other social impact organizations to work with Dashers and use DoorDash technology to increase access to food in their communities via low-cost, subsidized delivery of charitable food.
Project DASH aims to broaden food access by empowering its partners to better serve people experiencing food insecurity by powering the local delivery of charitable food. Local deliveries are fulfilled by Dashers to food insecure households, breaking down many of the barriers to access, while enhancing client experience. Dashers are paid by DoorDash to fulfill these deliveries.
Food bank deliveries facilitated by Project DASH not only address food insecurity but also create a favorable client experience. Project DASH reduces the likelihood that clients will endure the unfortunate stigma that many feel when accessing food assistance and other social programs.
Project DASH provides local delivery solutions for government and nonprofit partners to increase access to food and other essential items for underserved communities in a way that emphasizes convenience and dignity. In 2022, Project DASH served 49 states and DC. Nationally, the items being delivered by Dashers include food boxes, prepared meals, school supplies, home essentials, mental health kits, and even holiday items. Project DASH is powered by the DoorDash Drive platform.
Partnerships between food banks and Project DASH have made it seamless to facilitate home delivery to clients. Food banks use Drive to connect orders to their clients from their facilities, increasing their own capacity to provide access to food to more people, reducing transportation and mobility barriers, and doing so in a way that also offers greater dignity and convenience to families that need food assistance. There is no need for a food bank to invest in its own delivery vehicles or to use scarce staff time. Programs like Project DASH promote nonprofit efficiency and allow food banks to focus their resources on client assistance, food procurement, and other important services that advance their core mission.
Deliveries are fulfilled by Dashers, and Dashers are compensated by DoorDash for each delivery. It is the same DoorDash fulfillment platform that supports all of DoorDash’s deliveries, such as for our restaurant and retail commercial partners. We have a dedicated team who works with our food bank and nonprofit partners to ensure a smooth process from order to delivery. Project DASH’s partnerships result in operational efficiencies for resource-constrained organizations and increased access.
Since 2018, Project DASH has helped broaden food access in local communities across the U.S. and Canada, powering more than 5 million deliveries of over 80 million estimated meals to people experiencing food insecurity.
By measuring success through data, DoorDash measures the amount of deliveries and the estimated amount of meals powered through Project DASH while also examining geographic and demographic data to evaluate impact across specific communities.
Additionally, DoorDash hears from partners about how Project DASH has impacted their organization. Local delivery from local food banks not only helps remove barriers, but also improves the client experience. Despite the widespread need for food assistance, participation in social safety net programs often comes with stigma. With local delivery, people can avoid the stigma that many feel when needing to pick up food at a centralized location. This can also help a family feel more comfortable participating in the charitable food system and social programs. DoorDash hears regularly from partners how they are able to expand their reach through Project DASH.
