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Uber lets customers donate money for rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites

The ride-hailing company is teaming up with PayPal and Walgreens for the Vaccine Access Fund.

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter
Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.
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Uber is opening the door for customers to help others get rides to vaccine sites.

 Angela Lang/CNET

You can now pitch in to help people in underserved communities get rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites. Uber , PayPal and Walgreens launched a Vaccine Access Fund on Monday that lets customers donate money to help people without transportation get to their vaccine appointments. You can donate directly through the Uber or Uber Eats app using a new feature supported by PayPal Giving Fund. 

The companies also say they're donating $11 million to the Vaccine Access Fund and are now "calling on customers to help too." Nearly half of Americans don't have access to public transportation, according to the American Public Transportation Association, making it difficult for them to get to vaccination centers. 

Donations made to the Vaccine Access Fund will be given to and manage by Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a national community development organization. LISC will then work with local nonprofits and partners to arrange free rides for people in the community. 

In December, ride-hailing company Uber said it would give 10 million free or discounted rides to people looking to get the COVID-19 vaccine.