YMCA of the USA Teams with Lyft to Expand Access to Bikeshare

CHICAGO, January 21, 2020 – YMCA of the USA and Lyft today announced a new effort to expand
bikeshare access and equity across the country. Together, the Y and Lyft will empower thousands of
young people by providing free, one-year bikeshare memberships for Lyft- operated systems.
Memberships will be distributed in collaboration with the Y to thousands of eligible 16- to
20-year-olds throughout the year.

The new effort was announced today at the Harlem Y, in collaboration with the YMCA of Greater New
York, and included surprise appearances from basketball star LeBron James and professional BMX
athlete and filmmaker Nigel Sylvester.

Nearly 4.5 million Americans don’t have easy access to affordable, reliable transportation. This
reality can be hardest for young people, whose futures depend on their ability to connect with
opportunities across the communities they call home.

“The Y is committed to helping young people reach their full potential, and we know that
affordable and reliable transportation is a key component. We’re excited to partner with Lyft to
provide another way for young people to access new opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive,” says
Kevin Washington, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA.

“We want to demonstrate how transportation can be a spark that helps young people reach their full
potential. The future of transportation is exciting, and we feel a deep responsibility to help make
transportation accessible to all,” says John Zimmer, Lyft co-founder and President.

The Y and Lyft will identify eligible young people in the Y network, provide memberships and
educate around bike safety – with a focus on removing barriers in young peoples’ lives. The new
program will start this spring in New York City (Citi Bike®️), then continue throughout the year
with tailored programs developed in tandem with local partners in Chicago (Divvy) and the Bay Area
(Bay Wheels).

Today’s bikeshare announcement is part of the new LyftUp initiative – a comprehensive effort to
expand transportation access to those who need it most. In addition to bike access, LyftUp combines
all of Lyft’s ride equity programs into one collective vision. Throughout 2020, the Y will be a
featured partner in the Lyft app, offering riders the opportunity to round-up their ride payment
and donate the difference to the Y, directly supporting the Y’s efforts to expand bikeshare access,
remove barriers and help people reach their full potential.

Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening
community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. For more information, visit ymca.net.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020