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Seema believes this endeavor is just the beginning in the fight against hunger.
“We can deliver, we know how to do that,†she said. “I think we have all of the pieces to get there. Right now, we’re delivering millions of meals. And I think it's just a matter of time, effort, and energy, to get it to billions.â€
Seema loads a box containing a school meal outside of the Denny International Middle School in Seattle, Washington.
Seema shares a warm moment with her mom at their home in Los Angeles, California, in 1999. Her mom inspires her to help others in a time of need.
“I am a Baha'i,†she said. “My mother’s family fled Iran because the Baha’is were being persecuted. One of the things in the Baha'i community is the idea of the grace of strangers, of a helping hand in a time of need. A helping hand is often about feeding people and welcoming them into the community. And I love the fact that I can return that favor with Amazon.â€
“When COVID-19 happened, a lot changed,†Seema said. “People can’t stand in line at food banks. Kids can’t get meals at their schools. Families need food and they can’t access it because they’re stuck at home. How do you make sure the people who need food can access it? We needed to make sure that if they couldn’t get to the food, the food would come to them.â€
“Our idea was to send Amazon Flex delivery drivers to schools and food banks, pick up meals, and deliver them to customers in the same way that we would for a merchant or another grocery store,†she said. “That's what Amazon is really good at, delivering at the last mile to customers' homes.â€
“We piloted in Seattle, then quickly deployed to San Francisco, the first U.S. city with a lockdown,†Seema said. “Within three days, we were moving food from the food banks to the tables of those who needed it. We deployed to over 25 cities across the U.S., Singapore, Spain, Japan, Australia, the UK, and more. So far, we’ve helped deliver 12 million meals to families during the COVID-19 pandemic.â€
“How do we ensure families facing food insecurity get access to their food?â€
Seema is a principal engineer with Amazon in the Community, a team that’s committed to increasing access to food, shelter, and education for children and their families. It’s a mission that’s been part of her life since she was a child.
Seema R.
Community guardian
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