HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- Ride-sharing company "Uber" is connecting with the New Jersey NAACP.

They're hoping to recruit thousands of new drivers from under-served communities.

The new partnership seeks to drive out poverty in low-income areas through flexible earning opportunities.

Eyewitness News New Jersey reporter Cleve Bryan has more now from Hamilton Township.

For Atlantic City hair sylist Eugene Lamarr, a drop in business last spring meant looking for a new way to support his family.

He didn't have to look any further than his car, his phone and an app called Uber.

He signed up, passed a background check and vehicle inspection, then was on his way.

He says the business has been lucrative. One night he made $500 and as much as $2,000 in a week.

Uber and the NAACP teamed up to recruit 3,000 new drivers in New Jersey this year, with an emphasis on urban and low-income areas.

Cumberland County Improvement Authority director Jim Watson says not only is the Uber initiative a chance for more jobs, it could be a low-cost way for people to get around Vineland, Millville and Bridgeton.