March 2, 2018

Lyft Is Offering Free Rides to the “March For Our Lives” Protests

Read the letter they sent students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

February 21, 2018 -Students from the Washington, DC, area walk out of class to demand gun control legislation at a gathering outside the White House. Erin Scott/ZUMA

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The ride hailing service Lyft has offered free rides to those participating in “March For Our Lives” gun control rallies across the nation later this month. 

In a letter to students of Majory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed in a tragic shooting last month, the co-founders of Lyft expressed their support. “We believe there is something seriously wrong when the threat of gun violence is so frequent and real throughout the country,” they wrote. “And like many, we are inspired by your leadership.”

The “March For Our Lives” rallies will take place on March 24. Survivors of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, initiated plans for a march in Washington, DC, and in response similar rallies have been planned across the country. Lyft has offered free rides to the rallies nationwide, noting that riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, per its terms of services. 

According to its mission statement, the March For Our Lives is “created by, inspired by, and led by students across the country who will no longer risk their lives waiting for someone else to take action to stop the epidemic of mass school shootings that has become all too familiar.” George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey each pledged to donate $500,000 to the group.

Following the Parkland shooting, a growing list of companies have cut ties to the National Rifle Association and voiced support of gun control. Several gun retailers, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, one of the largest gun sellers in the country, have announced they will no longer sell rifles to anyone younger than 21. 

These moves may also be good for business; a CNN poll found 71 percent of respondents want to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21, support of gun control has surged to its highest level in 25 years, and about 45 percent of American have an unfavorable view of the NRA.

In an email to Mother Jones, a spokesperson for Lyft said more details on the rides will be provided closer to the events.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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