Uber Partnering with Change Happens! and NAACP Houston to Create 5,000 Jobs in Houston

By Jeffrey L. Boney
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times
This past Thursday, September 3, Council Member Dwight Boykins (District D), Change Happens!, the NAACP Houston and Uber announced a new initiative to recruit 5,000 drivers in Houston within the next 12 months.

Working with these local organizations, Uber will be hosting a series of driver recruitment events to educate people about how to become a driver on the Uber platform and connect them to the opportunity. Each session will consist of an Uber presentation; a Q&A session; time for participants to meet with Uber representatives on a 1-on-1 basis; an opportunity to sign up to partner with Uber; or a chance for interested parties to upload any relevant documents.

“As an organization that fights to eliminate challenges and barriers to economic independence, we understand first-hand how economic opportunity can change lives and communities,” said Rev. Leslie Smith, CEO & Founder of Change Happens! “Uber is helping to knock those barriers down and improving transportation access. In particular, Uber has played a major role in increasing mobility in the Third Ward Area and throughout the city. We are excited about the meaningful economic opportunities that will be created from this partnership as it fits right into Change Happens! mission of empowering families to help themselves.”

“We are here today in strong support of a company that is breaking economic barriers by increasing access to transportation in neighborhoods across the city,” said President of NAACP Houston, Dr. James Douglas. “Uber is enabling more than a convenient way to move around the city; they’re also opening the door to greater economic opportunity. I am excited to be here today and to be a part of their effort to empower 5,000 Houstonians.”

Uber is a technology platform that has changed the way the world moves by seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through their app, making cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and providing more business for drivers. From their founding in 2009 to their launches in over 300 cities today, Uber’s rapidly expanding global presence has continued to bring people and their cities closer.

Since launching in February 2014, Uber has connected Houstonians to more than 3.5 million rides. A recent report shows that the number of rides beginning in underserved neighborhoods increased significantly in the first half of 2015, with the average wait time in areas such as the Third Ward less than seven (7) minutes.
“As demand for rides continues to rise, there is also a growing need for drivers to meet that demand. And who better to benefit from these economic opportunities than people who live in the neighborhoods where these rides are needed,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber Houston General Manager. “As we look towards the next year, we are excited to continue investing in the economic development of this great city.”

This initiative will connect people to the flexible earnings opportunity that Uber offers driver-partners, where they can be their own boss and choose their own hours.
To sign up to drive at one of the upcoming driver recruitment events, go to t.uber.com/drivech!

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