Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are pledging $102.5 million to groups working to end homelessness nationwide, stating, "This is just the beginning."

Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who this summer wed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, declared on Monday that the pair had contributed $102.5 million in funding to 32 charitable organizations nationwide. 

These contributions are included in the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, a foundation that has contributed over $850 million to various groups across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. Established in 2018, the Day 1 Fund pledged $2 billion to support existing charitable organizations assisting families facing homelessness, as well as establishing and running a chain of new, free-of-charge preschools in underserved areas. The Bezoses have distributed a set of grants annually since 2018.

Sánchez Bezos shared her experience meeting families who were helped by community groups that received funding from The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, such as Community of Hope in Washington, D.C. She informed Good Morning America that during her visit to Community of Hope, she encountered a woman who had been evicted from her residence along with her baby girl; however, the group provided them shelter for the night, offering a bed with linens and a secure door. 

“It brought tears to my eyes seeing this little baby and seeing her flourish,” Sánchez Bezos said. “Selfishly, it fills my heart meeting these families. It really, really does.”

The Community of Hope has been awarded two grants from The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund: one for $3.75 million in 2023, and another for $5 million in 2018. Sánchez Bezos stated that the organizations have the discretion to allocate these funds as they deem appropriate.

“It makes a huge impact because places like Community of Hope can do what they want with it, like… buy them sheets, buy the kids toys, buy them outfits to wear—all of the things that we as moms can take for granted,” Sánchez Bezos said. “But they are really important to get them moving in the right direction.”

Bezos’ philanthropic style

Sánchez Bezos stated that the Bezos Day 1 Fund enlists a panel of advisors annually to guide their philanthropic decisions. This year's advisory committee comprises leaders from various entities, such as consulting firms, other charitable organizations, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

“They know what these communities need,” Sánchez Bezos said. “This is just the beginning. It’s a $2 billion commitment… and we’re going to continue doing it.”

In 2022, Bezos adopted a strategy from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ charitable approach, vowing to give away the majority of his wealth (currently $256 billion) while he's alive. At that point, he acknowledged it would be a difficult undertaking.

“The hard part is figuring out how to do it in a levered way,” he toldCNN. “It’s not easy.” But between the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, the Bezos Courage and Civility Award, among other gifts, at least gives some structure to their giving plan. 

MacKenzie Scott, the former spouse of Bezos, has also arguably been the biggest name in philanthropy this year, providing substantial donations to entities concentrating on diversity, equity, inclusion, disaster relief, and learning. 

Over the last half-decade, Scott has contributed upwards of $20 billion, positioning her among the planet's most charitable individuals, alongside Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett. Scott's foundation, Yield Giving, has distributed over $19.25 billion, yet this figure doesn't encompass her contributions this year.