With the impacts of COVID-19 hitting the globe, Uber made a commitment to #MoveWhatMatters. 

One way Uber Australia has done this was through our partnership with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation to provide 4,000 free rides to children and families, who need to travel to and from the hospital to receive treatment.

The work of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation is crucial to help the many families who have a child with a serious medical condition or disability. 

Having a child in hospital and requiring regular treatment is already a stressful experience. With COVID-19, these families are being confronted with additional challenges like visitation restrictions. Through this partnership we hope to provide additional support and alleviate some of the financial hardship many families have experienced during the pandemic.

We are proud to be able to provide these families with travel options, so they have one less thing to worry about.

Olivia Jary, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, added that with current social distancing measures and essential precautions, travelling via public transport is not always an ideal option for immunocompromised children, such as those in the middle of cancer treatment.

“Keeping kids safe and connected to their families is the Hospitals’ priority, and the Foundation is committed to supporting the needs of patients and their loved ones in any way we can.

“By partnering with Uber, we’ll be able to help children and their families comfortably access treatment when required. For those children who are admitted, it means parents can visit regularly and provide them with much-needed support.

“The generosity of Uber will provide a helping hand to so many families who are doing it tough both financially and emotionally during this time.”

This initiative is a part of Uber’s pledge to provide 10 million free rides and deliveries to those that need it most during COVID-19. Uber is also providing the Women’s Safety Network (WESNET) with 3,000 free rides to help those escaping family violence, thousands of free deliveries of food hampers in partnership with Feed Appeal to help Aussies in need, and 25,000 meals through Uber Eats to frontline healthcare workers through Frontliners.