Fresh produce and shelf-stable pantry items are bagged for collection outside Barclays Center as Food Bank For New York City provides assistance to those in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in New York.
John Minchillo / AP Photo
John Minchillo / AP Photo
Fresh produce and shelf-stable pantry items are bagged for collection outside Barclays Center as Food Bank For New York City provides assistance to those in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in New York.
AIRED; October 6, 2025
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DoorDash is helping transform food access in Pennsylvania through its community initiative, Project Dash. The program partners with organizations like Hunger Free Pennsylvania to deliver meals and essential items to those who need them most — particularly seniors with limited mobility or transportation options.
Daniel Riff, a representative from DoorDash, explained what drew him to the program: “I was really drawn to Project Dash because I think it is a really great example of how a leading technology company can use its platform to partner with community organizations… to give them another tool to make them even more effective in their communities.”
Hunger Free Pennsylvania, celebrating its 41st year, operates a network of 18 food banks across all 67 counties. Stuart Haniff, Executive Director, shared the scale of need in the state: “Hunger Free Pennsylvania oversees more than 1.7 million people who are food insecure every day… 430,000 of those are children that go to bed hungry. Even though Hunger Action Month is September, food security is an issue that needs action every single day of every month.”
Through Project Dash, DoorDash’s delivery network helps close the “last mile” gap. Riff explained, “When home delivery is really an option, we see the need has really been higher than ever. There are people that couldn’t participate in these programs before, but because of delivery, they’re able to.”
Haniff emphasized the impact on seniors: “DoorDash has come in with Project Dash and has really changed the game. These seniors are not just getting their physical needs met, but in many cases, the dashers that visit them are the only eyes that these folks have on them… Expanding their food access also expands community capacity.”
Since its launch in Pennsylvania, Project Dash has delivered nearly 300,000 food boxes, providing both nutrition and a vital connection to the community. The partnership between DoorDash and Hunger Free Pennsylvania highlights how technology and local organizations can work together to address hunger in innovative ways.
