On Giving Tuesday, Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, marked the day with a major philanthropic move aimed at tackling homelessness across the United States.
Sánchez Bezos announced Monday that the couple is awarding $102.5 million in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations nationwide.
These donations come through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, which has now provided more than $850 million in funding to groups in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. Launched in 2018 with a $2 billion pledge, the Day 1 initiative focuses on two core goals: supporting existing nonprofits that serve families experiencing homelessness, and creating and operating a network of free preschools in underserved communities. Since its inception, the fund has issued a new round of grants every year.
Sánchez Bezos reflected on meeting families who have directly benefited from these grants, including those helped by Community of Hope in Washington, D.C. She shared on Good Morning America that during a visit there, she met a mother who had been kicked out of her home along with her infant daughter. Community of Hope gave them a safe place to stay that night, along with a bed, clean sheets, and a locked 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.”
Community of Hope has received two grants from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund so far: $5 million in 2018 and $3.75 million in 2023. The organizations are given flexibility in how they use the funds, Sánchez Bezos noted.
“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,” she said. “But they are really important to get them moving in the right direction.”
How the Bezoses Approach Giving
Sánchez Bezos explained that each year, the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund relies on a panel of advisors to help identify where the money should go. This year’s advisors include leaders from consulting firms, nonprofit organizations, and the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
“They know what these communities need,” she said. “This is just the beginning. It’s a $2 billion commitment … and we’re going to continue doing it.”
In 2022, Bezos said he plans to give away the bulk of his fortune—currently estimated at about $256 billion—over the course of his lifetime, following an approach similar to that of Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates. He acknowledged that distributing such a large sum effectively is a complex challenge.
“The hard part is figuring out how to do it in a levered way,” he told CNN. “It’s not easy.” Still, efforts like the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, and the Bezos Courage and Civility Award provide a framework for how he and Sánchez Bezos are structuring their philanthropy.
Meanwhile, Bezos’s ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, has become one of the most prominent figures in global philanthropy. She has made headline-grabbing donations to organizations focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, disaster relief, and education.
Over the past five years, Scott has given away more than $20 billion, placing her among the world’s most generous donors, alongside Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett. Through her organization, Yield Giving, she has distributed more than $19.25 billion so far, with additional gifts still to be reflected in that total.
