Shipt today announced a contribution of $1 million over the next five years to The Birmingham Promise, the non-profit, public-private partnership offering tuition assistance to Birmingham City Schools graduates.

In an announcement, the Birmingham-based shopping app said the money will also aid in the development of The Magic City Mentorship program, which aims to increase students’ job readiness by pairing them with Shipt team members. 

Shipt CEO Kamau Witherspoon said it is important for the company to give young people access to opportunities.

“We just saw a need right here in our hometown,” Witherspoon said. “The amazing work that Birmingham Promise has been doing to connect young people with opportunities to pursue their dreams of higher education and economic security were something we wanted to help.”

Founded in 2020, The Birmingham Promise provides up to four years of tuition assistance for graduates of Birmingham City Schools to attend any public two-year or four-year college or university in Alabama. The program also provides students with coaches to help them succeed in college.

BIrmingham Promise Executive Director Samantha Williams said the partnership will ensure that “every Birmingham City School student is supported and prepared to achieve economic security, mobility, and prosperity.”

“Access to opportunity can make all the difference in a student’s life,” she said.

A recent study showed Black college students have lower six-year completion rates for any type of degree or certificate program than any other racial or ethnic group, with researchers blaming the numbers on several factors, such as discrimination and the high cost of education.

Witherspoon said the issue is close to his heart, since he would not have been able to achieve in life without mentors. He singled out a Navy Junior ROTC instructor who connected him with financial aid that allowed him to go to college.

“I’ve experienced first hand the positive impact a mentor can have in someone’s life,” he said. “If not for people who saw the potential I had, I might not have even made it to college.”

Shipt has also released its second annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion report, stating the company’s senior leadership is comprised of 73% people of color and 64% women. Across all Shipt employees, 47% are women and more than 40% are people of color.

Shipt has set a goal of having the most diverse employee base of all tech companies, and being one of the most community-engaged employers, by 2025.

Last year, Shipt spent $13.9 million with companies it identified as diverse suppliers, including minority- and women-owned businesses, and awarded $242,000 to 15 local companies through its Community Grant program. The company also announced three new initiatives to address food insecurity at the White House.

“You’ll never hear me say that we’ve done enough,” Witherspoon said. “There’s a number of different factors that we consider in our progression toward our goal. We want to make sure we are a leader within each component of our team member base.”