Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez Pledge $102.5 Million To Fight Homelessness — Says Philanthropy 'Isn't Easy'

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos announced this week that they have donated $102.5 million to 32 nonprofits working to move families from homelessness into permanent housing.

The grants span 20 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam, with individual awards ranging from $1.25 million to $5 million, and are part of the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund.

Years-Long Initiative As Jeff Bezos Plans To Give Away Most Of His Wealth

The latest commitment brings the fund's total giving to more than $850 million since its launch in 2018, part of a broader $2 billion pledge to support homeless families and expand tuition-free preschools in underserved communities.

The 2025 grantee selection was guided by leading homelessness experts, including Russell Bennett, David Canavan, Iain DeJong, Cynthia Nagendra, Ann Oliva, Barbara Poppe, and others.

Bezos, the fourth richest person in the world, whose net worth stands near $256 billion, has said he intends to give away most of his fortune during his lifetime—a challenge he has described as “not easy” but increasingly structured through initiatives like the Day 1 Families Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, and the Courage and Civility Award.

His ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, has simultaneously reshaped modern philanthropy, distributing more than $19 billion in the last five years.

Sánchez Bezos said the grants are designed to meet families’ immediate needs, everything from bedsheets to clothing, while helping organizations scale long-term housing solutions. She recounted visiting Community of Hope in Washington, D.C., where she met a mother and infant receiving emergency shelter support. “Selfishly, it fills my heart meeting these families,” she told Good Morning America. “This is just the beginning.”

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