Viral video: Tearful delivery driver fearing homelessness gets $50,000 in donations

In the viral video, which was reshared by @SaintsCrossing on Twitter, an emotional Elliott is heard sharing an incident where he took 45-minutes to deliver an order, which cost him $3 in parking fees, to be tipped an amount of $1.50.

Watch the video here:

Something needs to be done about this. pic.twitter.com/PvxbgiQl2s

— Christian St. Croix (@SaintsCrossing) February 17, 2021

“It doesn’t matter that I’m working multiple jobs, it doesn’t matter that I rarely sleep and can barely afford to feed myself,” Elliot can be heard saying in the video.

Post the virality of the video, many reportedly reached out to help Elliott to prevent him from going homeless, including soccer club Seattle Sounders, which made a generous donation.

“They sent a $500 donation to my Venmo, I believe, and from there it caught in with Sounders’ fans and from there it started this awesome camaraderie,” Elliot told the news website. He also received over $50,000 in donations, out of which he donated to others in need, he added.

Garnering over 3 million views, the clip prompted netizens to discuss the low wages being paid to delivery drivers.

It’s a lot more than just people not wanting to tip.

It’s a predatory exploitation system hurting restaurants & delivery drivers, serving only to make rich people profit.

— justsayin (@bothpartiesrmal) February 17, 2021

“Tipping” is not the solution. Uber takes 30% commission from restaurants, it needs to pay at-least 25% of it to the drivers besides letting them keep 100% of delivery charges. Make companies pay more to all employees just like they pay their CEOs.

— Fraz (@NthngMtrs) February 17, 2021

they definitely should’ve been tipped more and accordingly everytime, but it’s insane how normal it is for Americans to work 2 or 3 jobs and still end up homeless

— ms. niggas (@teencyyyanide) February 18, 2021

I’m from the UK so I may not understand this. He was tipped $1.50 and Uber paid him $2.50? And his conclusion is…he needs to be tipped more? So tips now have to match his pay?

— #EndSARS (@blixberrie) February 19, 2021

It’s very nice that people are trying to help this man, but the real problem is – why is he getting paid only $2.50 from Ubereats? What sort of crazy wage is that?!!? People shouldn’t have to go out there and BEG for tips in order to survive. We need fair pay!

— Andrea Boyack (@AndreaBoyack) February 18, 2021