Jeff Bezos, the creator of Amazon, has donated a total of $7.5 million to two charity organizations in Hawaii. The largest private contribution the group has ever received, $2.5 million was given to Family Promise of Hawaii on Oahu.
A $5 million grant was given to Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers, which operates the biggest homeless shelter in Maui.
Hawaii Homelessness
The most recent federal figures indicate that 1 in 30 young children in Hawaii is homeless on any given year. According to state records, almost 3,200 Hawaii public school pupils were homeless last year.
Family Promise of Hawaii’s executive director, Ryan Catalani, indicated that the grant would be used to provide temporary homes for needy families as well as to assist with case management and other wrap-around services.
The NGOs have assisted thousands of homeless families in finding permanent housing by providing them with immediate assistance.
A mother of seven who benefited from Family Promise of Hawaii’s programs thanked the organization for its assistance and the positive influence it had on her and her family’s life.
Gov.-elect Josh Green said Nani Medeiros would be in charge of housing during the news conference. The creation of a cabinet to deal with housing and homelessness concerns across the state, according to Green, is a step in the right direction for addressing these challenges.
Both the next governor and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi promised to work for legislation to address Hawaii’s housing crisis. Both emphasized the necessity of expanding the housing supply and enforcing stricter laws against unauthorized vacation rentals.
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Jeff Bezos Homelessness Donations
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To support groups that help homeless families find permanent housing, Jeff Bezos is donating $123 million.
The contributions, which range from $600,000 to $5 million and go to 40 organizations throughout 26 US states and Puerto Rico, are the newest and largest ones made by Jeff Bezos’ Day One Fund, established in 2018.
The Day One Fund said on Tuesday that the gifts, which are effective right now, are a part of a $2 billion overall commitment to fighting homelessness.
The 58-year-old founder of the massive online retailer Amazon, Jeff Bezos, announced in early November that he intends to donate the majority of his wealth during his lifetime, with the majority of his philanthropic efforts going toward combating climate change and aiding those who work to bring people together.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranks Jeff Bezos, as the fourth richest person in the world with a net worth of $115.6 billion.
He received criticism for years for not joining the Giving Pledge, which was made by many of the richest people in the world to contribute the bulk of their money to philanthropic organizations.