Since UberEATS launched in Los Angeles, we’ve partnered with hundreds of couriers that each have their own unique stories. As you probably won’t have the opportunity to meet every single one, we want to introduce you to some of the men and women who are always there to bring you your meals when you need them.

Today, we’re going behind the wheel with Lonna, one of our UberEATS courier-partners who has an impressive life story.

Having grown up on the East Coast, Lonna moved to San Diego and graduated from San Diego State University with both a Bachelor’s in English and an impressive Master of Arts in English.

She found work teaching at a Community College. Soon after, she gave up her job to take care of her kids full time. It was then that her life changed dramatically; going through a divorce and being diagnosed with what was considered by her doctor as an “unbeatable” non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Upon beating the odds and surviving cancer, she went on to pursue a career in teaching in Russia, Turkey, and then China. Eventually, she made her way back to the United States with her new husband, where she found herself with no job and unable to find any teaching positions. It was then she heard about UberEATS. It was a no-brainer!

With the freedom to drive whenever and wherever she wants, UberEATS puts Lonna in the driver’s seat of her schedule, and allows her to make money doing something she has been doing since she was in her teens – driving! With the opportunity to cash out daily, the platform is helping Lonna do the things that matter most to her: pursuing her writing goals and serving as a bridge until she can find work as an English teacher.

Beyond the financial opportunity, partnering with UberEATS has allowed Lonna to build relationships with interesting new people, and explore Los Angeles in a way that feels good to her. “You get to go everywhere. You understand the heartbeat of LA,” she says. She’s even had the opportunity of sampling the food at restaurants, and has racked up 300,000 views on Google Photos of the restaurants she visits. Lonna’s favorite time to drive? At night. “Nights are peaceful and reveal secrets of the city. The customers are interesting and restaurants show life in Los Angeles.”

Lonna encourages others to become an UberEATS courier-partners, no matter who they are. “There is no ‘typical’ Uber driver”, she says. “You can be older, younger, students or immigrants”. Plus, with tipping now made available in the app, drivers have the opportunity to earn more money – a feature Lonna is extremely excited about.

Lonna is just one of the drivers who partner with UberEATS to have more flexibility in their schedules, and to balance work with their other passions and goals. Learn more about driving with UberEATS here.

Do you have a story to tell? Submit it here