Amazon is making regular pickups at Lighthouse’s emergency warehouse in Waterford and delivering food directly to the doorsteps of Oakland County residents in need.

PONTIAC, Mich. (April 19, 2022) – Lighthouse, a Pontiac-based nonprofit dedicated to building equitable communities that alleviate poverty, is pleased to announce an ongoing partnership with Amazon to get emergency food and supplies to more local families in need. The company is providing drivers – free of charge – to help pick up food boxes at Lighthouse’s emergency warehouse in Waterford and deliver them across Oakland County to residents who need them most. The program has successfully delivered 2,800 meals per week to local families for the last five months.

“This partnership is valuable in helping us respond to a critical need in the community,” said Lighthouse Food Programs Manager Angela Gill. “Amazon providing additional resources helps us expand our program capacity and reach more people we may not have otherwise been able to serve.”

COVID-19 changed things dramatically. Before the pandemic, Lighthouse distributed food to approximately 225 local residents per week. With so many people out of work for extended periods, that need increased to more than 5,000 people per week. The need for drivers making food deliveries also grew significantly.

“At Amazon, we use our ability to innovate quickly to strengthen and support communities where we operate, and we’re glad to be able to connect families with meals directly to their doorstep,” said Bettina Stix, Amazon’s director of Global Product and Volunteering. “We are thrilled to partner with Lighthouse and use the Amazon’s global transportation network to help families who are experiencing food insecurity in the community.”

Since March 2020, Amazon has supported food banks and community organizations with free, contactless delivery of groceries and pre-packaged meals directly to the doorsteps of vulnerable groups. Powered by the thousands of Amazon delivery drivers across programs such as Delivery Service Partners and Flex, the company has delivered more than 20 million meals to underserved families, seniors, and school children around the world.