Gig work on DoorDash has been a way for Cindy Charles, a 42-year-old in the New York City area, to fund her passion project, a nonprofit organization in Georgetown, Guyana, that supports children in underserved communities with literacy and personal development. 

Funding a Nonprofit

After struggling with literacy herself as a child in Guyana, Charles was determined to make a difference and launched her organization in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on her plans and left her struggling to find funding.

Charles started working 60 to 70 hours a week as a Door Dash driver at that point, as she recalled in a Fast Company piece, in order to save up more than $5,000. She negotiated a partner program that teaches kids to read in 90 days with the extra money and buys reading devices for kids in need.

While she has scaled back her gig work hours, for now, Charles plans to return to it once she completes a graduate school project, using the flexible work to continue supporting her nonprofit organization and achieving her goals.

The Gig Economy

According to recent data from Statista, the gig economy is projected to have a gross volume of $455.6 billion in 2022. The "gig economy" is a type of job market where short-term contracts or freelance work are more common than full-time jobs.

Over the past few years, the gig economy has grown significantly, with more and more people turning to gig work as a way to make a living. The growth of platforms that connect workers with gig opportunities, as well as changes in the general economy that have made gig work more alluring for some people, have contributed to this trend.

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The gig economy can offer workers greater flexibility and autonomy, as well as the ability to choose when and where they work. However, it has also been criticized for its lack of job security and benefits and for its potential to create income inequality.

Charles's experience with gig work highlights the versatility of the gig economy and how it can be leveraged to support personal projects and goals. Charles's commitment and dedication to her nonprofit organization drove her to seek gig work to fund it, and her hard work paid off in the form of additional income and resources for the children she serves.

Charles' Nonprofit Organization

For Charles, reading is a fundamental skill crucial for personal development, and she has made it her mission to support children in underserved communities in improving their literacy. 

Her struggles with literacy as a child in Guyana have only fueled her passion for this cause, and she is committed to making a difference in the lives of others, she told the Fast Company.

Kupanda Sisters Inc is an organization that believes that literacy is a crucial foundation for lifelong learning and education. Founded on the belief that the ability to read and write is essential for individuals to participate in society fully, Kupanda Sisters works to empower women and children in impoverished communities by providing literacy education.

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