Lyft will match Torontonians’ donations to Sick Kids through December

Lyft has announced it would match every Torontonian’s ‘Round Up and Donate’ donation to Sick Kids through December.

The ride-hailing app’s Round Up and Donate feature allows riders to round their fare up to the nearest dollar and have the extra money go towards a charity of their choice.

According to Lyft, the feature on average costs drivers a few dollars extra each month, but the collective donation from all riders adds up quickly. The company just passed $10 million USD (approximately $13.2 million CAD) in total donations across North America, with $50,000 USD (approximately $65,888 CAD) to Sick Kids.

Sick Kids partnered with Lyft on the Round Up and Donate initiative when the ride-hailing service launched in Toronto in December 2017.

The company is strengthening that partnership this year by matching every Round Up and Donate donation to Sick Kids to a maximum of $10,000.

“The more Torontonians round up, the more Lyft will donate, bringing Sick Kids closer to their goal of building a new hospital,” said Aaron Zifkin, managing director at Lyft Canada.

To opt into the Round Up and Donate initiative, open the Lyft app on your phone, open the side menu with the button in the top left corner and select ‘Donate.’

Then, tap ‘Select your cause’ and pick Sick Kids on the next page. Tap the ‘Opt in’ button, and you’re ready to go.

Overall, it’s a great initiative from Lyft that makes it easy for users to donate to a good cause. These small donations add up quickly, and the ride-hailing company has already done some excellent work with the donations.

Lyft riders have already funded over 1,500 trips to cancer treatment, more than 17,000 meals for residents affected by natural disasters, 25,000 toys for children undergoing chemotherapy and 90,000 girls attending computer science programs.