DoorDash continues to support the Black community beyond Black History Month.
The company celebrated and honored Black History Month through various initiatives, in addition to the programs and contributions the company provides to Black Dashers and entrepreneurs.
“Our support and celebration of Black culture doesn’t stop at the end of Black History Month,” DoorDash officials said in a press release. “We recognize there is plenty of work left to be done and have established programs and initiatives to help level the playing field for Black-owned businesses and the Black community during Black History Month and throughout the year.”
Last year, DoorDash launched its Main Street Strong Accelerator program in five cities across the U.S. In collaboration with the Accion Opportunity Fund, the company developed a seven-course curriculum that provides restaurant owners with immersive classes to help grow their businesses.
“As a Black business owner, there is a certain weight that exists on my shoulders to ensure my staff can feed their families and create their own financial plan, which depends on the growth of our business,” Terri Evans, owner of Windy City Ribs and Whiskey in Chicago, said. “Although I went to graduate school for business and have experience in corporate and entrepreneurial contexts, nothing prepares you for the restaurant industry. The Accelerator was unique and beneficial because it’s not just about business – it’s about the restaurant business. It also builds a bonded cohort of local business owners that can help each other take advantage of local resources specific to their markets.”
Evans continued, “The Accelerator program provided the additional support needed to keep [us] focused on the goal. It also reinforced that the success of supporting the restaurant industry, and specifically the minority-owned restaurants, depends on all of us.”
The month-long celebration included the launching of DoorDash's BlackFoodEnergy campaign, “which is a celebration and movement of Black food and culture meant to feed change, deliver it forward, and give people a seat at the table,” the company said.
DoorDash’s Black Employee Resource Group will host a series of events for drivers highlighting “Black-owned merchants, building relationships, and growing personally and professionally,” according to the press release.
The company pledged a $100-thousand donation partnership across the U.S. and Canada by contributing funds to BCA Global, the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce, and various other organizations that support Black communities, in its mission to empower local economies.
DoorDash offers Entrepreneurship & Access programs in the U.S. and Canada that work to connect "systematically excluded business owners" to resources such as technical assistance, low-interest loans, and education, the press release said.