We often hear about how tech can isolate us or pull us further apart. But the opposite is also possible: technology, when used responsibly, can help us feel more connected and grounded in our communities. This philosophy is the reason I joined Lyft as CEO, and it’s the part of the job that feels most personal to me. At Lyft, we’re not just in the business of getting people from one place to another. We’re here to make it easier to strengthen the connections that hold communities together.
My belief in the power of connection has shaped much of my personal life and professional career. Over a decade ago, I helped start Worldreader, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to reading all over the world via e-readers. Then, in 2020, my wife Jennifer and I launched #HalfMyDAF, a personal challenge to holders of Donor-Advised Funds (a type of charitable savings account): rather than let the (tax-deductible) money in your DAF sit, spend at least half of your funds now and we’ll match dollar-for-dollar. The urgency – and sense of connection it created to a community of givers – worked. Over the last five years, #HalfMyDAF moved over $70 million of funding to nonprofits.
