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Jeff Bezos’ ‘Day 1 Families’ Fund Gives $2.5 Million to Portland Homeless Family Solutions

Portland, OR. Jeff Bezos’ Day 1 Families Fund is handing out over $96 million to nonprofits providing services to homeless families. 2021 recipients include 32 organizations in 21 states, including a nonprofit in the Portland area. Portland Homeless Family Solutions received $2.5 million. Last year, the nonprofit served 909 kids and their parents.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, right, and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee tour Mary’s Place Family Center, located in an Amazon building in Seattle. (Lucas Jackson Photo via Amazon)

Bezos, explained, “These grants will provide support including housing, food, clothing, and other resources to help families get back on their feet.”

The Amazon founder has given out $398 million to organizations in 38 states since launching the fund in 2018. The video below shows a few of the grantees.

The Day 1 Families Fund grantees include multiple California-based organizations and one from Washington:

$5 million for Building Changes and Africatown International, Seattle

Activists say the national homelessness crisis has grown significantly in recent years, and the greater Seattle area has large numbers of unsheltered residents. Some 11,751 people in Seattle and surrounding King County were experiencing homelessness during a 2020 survey. A study spanning 2016-2020 found that chronic homelessness had increased at an annual rate of 27% statewide and 42% in Seattle-King County.

From Day 1 Fund:

The Day 1 Academies Fund is a non-profit organization launching and operating a network of tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschools in underserved communities. Directly operating the preschools creates an opportunity to learn, invent, and improve. The Fund uses the same set of principles that have driven Amazon.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.