AUSTIN, TexasandDALLAS,April 9, 2020/PRNewswire/ -- RVshare, the world's first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace, is partnering with RVs 4 MDs, a volunteer group that connects first responders to RV owners during a crisis, to provide temporary housing to healthcare workers on the frontlines. In partnership, RVshare and RVs 4 MDs will work to quickly scale efforts by combining resources and streamlining the process to meet the demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
RVs 4 MDs currently connects healthcare workers with RV owners near them through a Facebook page with more than 20,000 members that continues to grow daily. The demand for temporary housing to self-isolate is skyrocketing as healthcare workers are fighting on the frontlines across the country.
RVshare, founded in 2013, has a community of more than 60,000 RV owners and a platform to safely and securely book RV rentals. RVshare will leverage its existing infrastructure and expertise to help RVs 4 MDs meet their demand. The company has aDisaster Response Solution program that launched a COVID-19 response effort in March with more than 500 owners who are willing to donate their RVs for free or at a very reduced rate. RVshare will waive all fees for donated rentals booked through their platform.
"Since the Facebook page launched onMarch 24, RVs 4 MDs has matched hundreds of first responders with an RV," said RVs 4 MDs co-founderEmily Phillips. "We are overwhelmed by the generosity we have seen. There are hundreds of medical workers requesting temporary housing a day. When RVshare reached out to us about their supply of RVs, we knew this would be the right partnership to scale the effort quickly."
Through RVshare's platform, RV owners and frontline workers will have access to RVshare's terms of service and a customized rental agreement to give both parties contractual and legal protection. Bookings made through the platform can also add comprehensive insurance policies.
"RVs 4 MDs has started a strong movement across the country, and peer-to-peer RV rentals is our expertise. We want to support the cause in any way we can," said RVshare's CEOJon Gray.
The movement took off after Phillips was searching for a self-isolation solution for her husband who is a frontline doctor inDallas, Texas. Her friendHolly Haggardlent them her RV that was otherwise sitting unused. Realizing the problem stretched far beyond the Phillips family, the friends created a Facebook group for COVID-19 hoping to connect more people in need.