Amazon is proud to partner with thousands of Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) around the world who go the extra mile to deliver not only for customers, but also for people in need. Meet four inspiring DSPs—Sebastian Festa, Zalmi Duchman, and husband-and-wife duo Dayne and Mystique St. Hill—who go above and beyond their day jobs every day.
Launched in 2018, the Amazon DSP program connects aspiring entrepreneurs with opportunities, resources, and coaching to help them build and scale their own logistics businesses. The program has grown to a global network of more than 3,000 locally owned small business operators who employ more than 260,000 drivers worldwide. Festa, Duchman, and the St. Hills are just a few DSP owners who use their experience in logistics and transportation networks to make a positive impact in their communities.
Sebastian Festa, founder of Prime Lightning Logistics, Orlando, Florida
Sebastian Festa, founder of Kardia Transport, LLCSebastian Festa has always been inspired by his father’s generosity and willingness to help others. He recalls his father regularly inviting neighbors over for dinner and sharing whatever they had, despite his family’s own struggles to make ends meet. Motivated to break the cycle of poverty, Festa went to college and sought career opportunities that allowed him to support his family while maintaining his mission to help others. When he learned about Amazon’s DSP program, Festa believed that he found the opportunity he had been looking for.
Since joining Amazon’s DSP program in 2018, Festa has grown his company, Prime Lightning Logistics, from 10 employees to 130. The success of Prime Lightning has enabled Festa to provide for his family, while also giving to local nonprofits like the Boys & Girls Club of America. Since his father’s passing in 2018, Festa looked for ways to honor his giving spirit and love for his home country of Haiti, and in August 2020, Festa began raising funds for Hope for Haiti, a nonprofit that supports social and economic development on the island nation. Knowing the strength of the Amazon DSP network, Festa reached out to fellow DSP owners, asking them to come together and raise funds for the organization. As a result of this collaboration, Festa, in partnership with more than 50 fellow Amazon DSPs, raised $170,000 for Hope for Haiti from 2020-21, and they aspire to grow their contribution to $200,000 in 2022.
In 2022, Hope for Haiti will honor Festa at its annual gala, alongside other philanthropists who have significantly contributed to the organization.
"It’s an honor that I have been able to inspire other DSP owners to get involved and give back to our communities,” said Festa. “I believe that success is measured by the amount of good you do for others, and thanks to our partnership with Amazon, we are empowered to do a lot of good.”
Zalmi Duchman, founder of Surfside Angels, Boca Raton, Florida
Through the teachings of his Jewish faith and spiritual leader, Zalmi Duchman believes he can change people’s lives one good deed at a time. Duchman joined the Amazon DSP program in 2019, and has a long history of—and a passion for—making a positive impact in his community, and a strong professional background in logistics. In March 2020, as COVID lockdowns began to go into effect, Duchman combined these passions to support Kids Helping Kids Succeed, organizing and making essential item deliveries to low-income families with special needs children.
During 2020, Duchman helped Kids Helping Kids Succeed develop efficient contactless delivery routes for volunteers, while providing his own fleet of delivery vehicles and willing delivery associates to make essential item deliveries to families in the community. Duchman continues to invest his personal time to support Kids Helping Kids Succeed and organizes fundraising efforts to advance the organization’s mission of improving the well-being of local children and their families through youth-led programs.
“People shy away from getting involved, because they worry they can’t give enough to make a difference,” said Duchman. “However, I’m a strong believer that actions speak louder than words, and every gesture counts.”
Dayne and Mystique St. Hill, co-founders of New Deal Logistics and The St. Hill Foundation, Houston, Texas
Dayne and Mystique St. Hill, partners in life, business, and philanthropy, are firm believers in the saying, "You are blessed to be a blessing to others." In 2019, after joining the Amazon DSP program and launching their logistics company, New Deal Logistics, the St. Hills fulfilled a promise that they had made to themselves: Pay it forward to help those in need.
In October 2020, the couple opened the St. Hill Foundation—founded on the principle of self-service—and a month later, they held their first Thanksgiving meal-kit pickup. The couple set out to provide 150 Houston families in need with fresh produce, nonperishable foods, and gift checks for Butterball products to make Thanksgiving dinners possible. They collaborated with the local Alief School District to host the pickup event at its stadium, where they exceeded their original goal and provided meal kits to 250 families.
In 2021, the St. Hills doubled their original goal and provided boxes of dried goods and fresh produce to 300 families, along with $18,000 worth of cashable Butterball gift checks. The St. Hills generously invested $25,000 to make last year’s Thanksgiving drive possible and help feed hundreds of Houston families. This is just the beginning of the St. Hills’ community giving. In 2022, in addition to the annual Thanksgiving drive, the duo plans to coordinate a backpack and laptop giveaway for local students.
“We promised ourselves if we ever got to the point in life where we were blessed enough to pay it forward, we would,” said Mystique. “And through our Amazon partnership, we have been able to share our success with our community.”
The charitable work and generosity of these four DSP owners impacts hundreds of people across the country. Amazon is proud to partner with Festa, Duchman, the St. Hills, and other DSPs who go above and beyond in their communities every day.
Amazon is investing in the future—constantly finding new ways to empower employees and partners to succeed. Learn more about Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner program and delivery driver opportunities near you.
