LOS ANGELES — Child ridesharing company HopSkipDrive has expanded its services to include meal and school material delivery, transporting seniors, and a ride donation program, in an effort to increase support for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We recognize this is a difficult time for everyone. The safety, health, and well-being of the HopSkipDrive community is always our number-one priority and continues to be as we navigate this unprecedented crisis,” said Joanna McFarland, co-founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive. “We are actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation and taking steps to help keep our community safe and informed.”

HopSkipDrive has focused on supporting schools, counties, and community organizations in need in new ways, the company said in a news release, such as:

•  Delivering meals to students participating in meal programs, as well as education technology and distance learning materials.
•  Delivering meals to seniors.
•  Helping health care workers with child transportation solutions to childcare services.
•  Providing transportation solutions for seniors, as well as children and families, to necessary appointments and errands.

HopSkipDrive has also developed partnership opportunities through a program called HopSkipDrive Helps. Aimed at supporting children, families, and seniors, partners can donate rides or HopSkipDrive gift cards to those in need. The donations can cover meal delivery for a senior, taking a child to pick up free lunch from a school meal program, or helping health care workers with their child transportation needs.

The program also helps by enabling independently contracted drivers for the company, called “CareDrivers,” to make up for lost earning potential,” McFarland said.

“We are ready with a community of CareDrivers, proprietary Safe Ride Support systems, and a team dedicated to making the world better by enabling greater mobility for vulnerable populations,” she added.

In addition to supporting the community in new ways, HopSkipDrive is also committed to new and existing partnerships with schools and districts.

“Now more than ever, we’re committed to our existing partnerships, while continuing to expand new opportunities to ensure we’re meeting the growing transportation needs of schools and government agencies,” McFarland said. “We have secured a number of significant partnerships with schools for the upcoming school year that we’re excited about and are actively developing plans to ensure their transportation needs are met once school starts up again.”

To learn more about HopSkipDrive, go here.