WORK FOR IMPACT
Project DASH + Ride United: Transportation Access (RUTA)
With the support of our generous donors, foundations, and local partners, United Way of Lane County coordinates two programs to directly serve local households in need: Project DASH and Ride United: Transportation Access.
Project DASH
Photo: NAACP Eugene-Springfield
Project DASH is a partnership between United Way of Lane County, DoorDash, and local community partners to deliver food boxes, diapers, pet food, educational supplies, and other necessities to people experiencing barriers to mobility or access. Challenges experienced by participating households might include a lack of transportation, health conditions, physical disabilities, or an inability to visit a food pantry during open hours.
Since 2020, we have made over 46,000 deliveries to households here in Lane County!
Please note that United Way of Lane County does not directly provide food/supply boxes. If you are a community member seeking food/supply box delivery through Project DASH, please reach out directly to our partners listed below to inquire about service openings:
If you are a Lane County organization who would like to partner with us to deliver Project DASH to local households in need, please fill out this form.
“Project DASH helps us reach families who might otherwise go without. The culturally specific foods are really appreciated and make a big difference in participation. Project DASH [also] allows us to serve individuals who are going through cancer or dialysis or are home bound so that they have good foods delivered to them, and we are able to help them when they need it most!”
Ride United: Transportation Access (RUTA)
Through the RUTA program, United Way of Lane County partners with United Way Worldwide and local community organizations to provide free or discounted Lyft passes to people who lack access to transportation, including those who don’t have a vehicle or are unable to afford gas. Rides through RUTA take people to medical appointments, substance use support and prevention, mental and behavioral healthcare, food access, education, and more.
RUTA was launched as a pilot program in summer 2025 to deliver 350 one-way Lyft rides to Lane County residents. Thanks to a recent grant from the Lane Community Health Council, we will be expanding this program to serve even more households in our local communities!
Please note that United Way of Lane County does not directly provide Lyft passes. If you are a community member seeking transportation assistance through RUTA, please contact us at community@unitedwaylane.org.
If you are a Lane County organization who would like to partner with us to coordinate RUTA in our communities, please fill out this form.
“I have used the Lyft program to support a family whose car broke down to get to a parenting class. I have also used it for a child to continue to attend school because the parent only had access to a vehicle one out of the two days her daughter attended. They were using Lyft to get her to school the second day [but] due to changes in finances, they were unable to afford to do that.”
Support Project DASH and RUTA
Your tax-deductible donation to United Way of Lane County helps make this work possible. Your support strengthens programs like Project DASH and RUTA, as well as BookFest, community investments, and other United Way projects and initiatives that bring people, partners, and resources together to serve people and communities across Lane County.
Our gratitude to the Lane Community Health Council for their generous support of Project DASH and RUTA, helping us expand these programs to serve even more households in Lane County.