Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas thanked the company for its effort, but said he hopes Uber expands its charitable network to include such charities as New Horizons for New Hampshire, Kids Cafe and the Salvation Army.
“I certainly appreciate any time people help out charities,” he said. “But I can give you a couple more that I wish they had added to the list.”
Uber spokesman William Guenier said the one-day feature will allow donors in New Hampshire to use the Uber app from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday to request a pickup for donations to be taken to a nearby Goodwill outlet at no charge. He said the program is part of a global initiative the company rolled out to highlight the additional ways — beyond connecting riders to drivers — that the app can be used.
“It’s a good way to give back to the community and allow people to get rid of unwanted items at the same time,” he said.
Guenier said the program dovetails on past efforts that have let users use the app to adopt puppies and request an ice cream truck to come to their street.
“We’re always looking for new and interesting ways to use our technology,” he said.
Those looking to take advantage of the one-day drive must bag their clothing and other items. Guenier said a “handful” of drivers have been enlisted, but the company is aiming for pickups to happen within five minutes of a request.
©2015 The New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
