The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside.
Since 2018, the Day 1 Families Fund has issued 208 leadership awards totaling $639.1 million to organizations in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
2023 Day 1 Families Fund Advisors
The Day 1 Families Fund would like to thank the below leaders working to end family homelessness for sharing their expertise during the grantee selection process:
Samantha Batko, Urban Institute
Iain DeJong, OrgCode Consulting Inc.
David Dirks, Homebase
Maseta Dorley, The Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
Andrew Johnson, The Corporation for Supportive Housing
Tiffney Marley, Community Action Partnership
Darlene Mathews, Darlene Mathews Inc.
Ann Oliva, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Nan Roman, National Alliance to End Homelessness (retired)
Mandy Chapman Semple, Clutch Consulting Group
Suzanne Wagner, Housing Innovations
Michele Salters Williams, Michele S. Williams, LLC
Donald Whitehead, National Coalition for the Homeless
2023 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
We are excited to announce the sixth annual Day 1 Families Fund leadership awards. These 38 recipients from 23 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will receive immediate donations totaling $117.55 million to continue their compassionate, needle-moving work to help families move from unsheltered homelessness and shelters to permanent housing with the services they require to achieve stability. We’re thrilled to have grantees in three new states this year: Arkansas, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Abode Services, Fremont, CA • $5 million
American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), Minneapolis, MN • $5 million
ARVAC Inc., Russellville, AR • $1.25 million
BronxWorks, New York, NY • $5 million
Bolivar County Community Action Agency, Inc., Cleveland, MS • $1.25 million
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, Inc., Miami, FL • $5 million
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Seattle, WA • $5 million
Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Burlington, VT • $5 million
Community Action Partnership of Kern, Bakersfield, CA • $5 million
Community of Hope, Inc, Washington, DC • $3.75 million
Council for the Homeless, Vancouver, WA • $5 million
Crossroads Rhode Island, Providence, RI • $5 million
Everyone Home DC, Washington, DC • $2.5 million
Family Promise of Athens, Athens, GA • $400,000
Family Promise of Cheyenne, Cheyenne, WY • $150,000
Family Promise of the Triangle, Raleigh, NC • $1 million
Family Service Lincoln, Lincoln, NE • $2.5 million
Hogar Ruth para Mujeres Maltratadas, Inc., Vega Alta, PR • $2.5 million
Hospitality House of Northwest North Carolina, Boone, NC • $2.5 million
Interfaith Community Services, Escondido, CA • $5 million
Ka Mana O Na Helu, Pearl City, HI • $2.5 million
La Fondita de Jesús, San Juan, PR • $2.5 million
Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, Salem, OR • $5 million
Native American Connections, Phoenix, AZ • $5 million
Neighborhood Place of Puna, Puna, HI • $2.5 million
Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority, Ukiah, CA • $2.5 million
Primavera Foundation, Tucson, AZ • $5 million
Shelter House, Inc, Fairfax, VA • $2.5 million
Stewpot Community Services, Inc., Jackson, MS • $1.25 million
Tarrant County Homeless Coalition, Fort Worth, TX • $2.5 million
Temporary Emergency Services, Inc., Tuscaloosa, AL • $1 million
The Salvation Army, Fort Myers Area Command, Fort Myers, FL • $2.5 million
The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, Charlotte, NC • $3.75 million
UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix, AZ • $5 million
United Communities Against Poverty, Inc. (UCAP), Capitol Heights, MD • $1.25 million
United Way of Yellowstone County, Billings, MT • $2.5 million
Wisconsin Balance of State CoC, Eau Claire, WI • $1.25 million
YWCA Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH • $1.25 million
Meet a few of our grantees
2022 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
The 2022 awardees included 40 organizations from 26 states and Puerto Rico that support families experiencing homelessness. They received $123.45 million in funding to help end homelessness for families in their communities.
Carpenter's Shelter, Alexandria, VA • $2.5 million
CATCH, Inc., Boise, ID • $1.25 million
Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ • $5 million
The Center for Women and Families, Louisville, KY • $2.5 million
Changing Homelessness, Jacksonville, FL • $2.5 million
Chapman Partnership, Miami, FL • $5 million
Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, Houston, TX • $5 million
Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA • $5 million
Community Services & Employment Training (CSET), Visalia, CA • $2.5 million
Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), Austin, TX • $2.5 million
Family Promise of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI • $2.5 million
Family Promise of Northern New Castle County, Wilmington, DE • $1.25 million
Family Services of Tulare County, Visalia, CA • $2.5 million
Flagstaff Shelter Services, Flagstaff, AZ • $2.5 million
Gateway180, St. Louis, MO • $1.25 million
Heartland Alliance, Chicago, IL • $2.5 million
H.O.M.E. Inc., Orland, ME • $600,000
Homeless Alliance, Oklahoma City, OK • $2.5 million
Hope House of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI • $2.5 million
Housing First, Inc., Mobile, AL • $5 million
Housing Forward, Dallas, TX • $1.25 million
HRDC, Bozeman, MT • $5 million
Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Centers, Inc., Wailuku, HI • $5 million
LA Family Housing, Los Angeles, CA • $5 million
Mother Nation: Honoring the Beauty and Strength of Native Families, Seattle, WA • $600,000
Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, Inc., Nashua, NH • $1.25 million
New Reach, New Haven, CT • $2.5 million
Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge, SD • $5 millionPartners for HOME, Atlanta, GA • $2.5 million
PATH, Los Angeles, CA • $5 million
The Salvation Army, Denver Metro Area, Denver, CO • $5 million
Samish Indian Nation, Anacortes, WA • $5 million
San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, San Diego, CA • $5 million
Sojourner Truth House, Gary, IN • $1.25 million
Solo Por Hoy, Inc., San Juan, PR • $1 million
Start Corporation, Houma, LA • $5 million
Strategies to End Homelessness, Cincinnati, OH • $5 million
The Wellspring, Monroe, LA • $1.25 million
YWCA Cass Clay, Fargo, ND • $2.5 million
YWCA Missoula’s Housing Programs, Missoula, MT • $2.5 million
Meet a few of our grantees
2021 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
The 2021 awardees included 32 organizations in 21 states that provide services to families experiencing homelessness. They received donations totaling $96.2 million to help families connect with safe shelter and services they need to achieve stability.
ACLAMO, Norristown, PA • $1.25 million
Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, Lake Worth, FL • $5 million
Alabama Rural Coalition for the Homeless, Inc., Montgomery, AL • $1.25 million
All Chicago Making Homelessness History, Chicago, IL • $5 million
Asian Americans for Community Involvement, San Jose, CA • $2.5 million
Building Changes and Africatown International, Seattle, WA • $5 million
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, CA • $5 million
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver, CO • $5 million
Covenant House Alaska, Anchorage, AK • $1.25 million
Destination: Home, San Jose, CA • $5 million
Doorways, Arlington, VA • $2.5 million
Family Life Center, Kahului, HI • $2.5 million
Family Service League, Huntington, NY • $1.25 million
Friends of the Family, Waterloo, IA • $2.5 million
Homeless Action Network of Detroit, Detroit, MI • $1.25 million
Homeward, Richmond, VA • $2.5 million
LifeMoves, Menlo Park, CA • $5 million
Lubbock Open Door, Lubbock, TX • $1 million
Mesilla Valley Community of Hope, Las Cruces, NM • $2.5 million
Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter & Services, Waterville, ME • $750,000
Mississippi United to End Homelessness, Jackson, MS • $2.5 million
Newcap, Inc., Oconto, WI • $5 million
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), Garden Grove, CA • $1.25 million
Portland Homeless Family Solutions, Portland, OR • $2.5 million
Project Community Connections, Inc., Atlanta, GA • $2.5 million
Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RurAL CAP), Anchorage, AK • $2.5 million
Sacramento Steps Forward, Sacramento, CA • $5 million
SHELTER, Inc., Concord, CA • $5 million
Texas Homeless Network, Austin, TX • $2 million
The Link, Minneapolis, MN • $2.5 million
Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc., South Boston, VA • $2.5 million
Union Station Homeless Services, Pasadena, CA • $5 million
Meet a few of our grantees
2020 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
The recipients in 2020 included 42 organizations providing services to families experiencing homelessness in 24 states. They received $105.9 million in funding to help provide shelter and support to families in their communities.
Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, Anchorage, AK • $450,000
The Cathedral Center, Inc., Milwaukee, WI • $1.25 million
Catholic Charities of Acadiana, Lafayette, LA • $5 million
Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention, Indianapolis, IN • $1.25 million
Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, Orlando, FL • $2.5 million
Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Columbus, OH • $2.5 million
Community Action Council for Lexington-Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Inc., Lexington, KY • $5 million
Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Philadelphia, PA • $5 million
Denver Indian Family Resource Center, Denver, CO • $450,000
East Los Angeles Women’s Center, Los Angeles, CA • $2.5 million
East Oakland Community Project, Oakland, CA • $2.5 million
Facing Forward to End Homelessness, Chicago, IL • $1.25 million
Families Together, Raleigh, NC • $1.25 million
Family Life Center, Kahului, HI • $1.25 million
Friendship Place, Washington, DC • $2.5 million
HELP of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV • $5 million
The Homeless Families Foundation, Columbus, OH • $1.25 million
Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System, Los Angeles, CA • $5 million
HOPE Atlanta, Atlanta, GA • $2.5 million
House of Ruth, Washington, DC • $2.5 million
Housing Matters, Santa Cruz, CA • $2.5 million
Housing Up, Washington, DC • $2.5 million
Kahumana, Waianae, HI • $2.5 million
MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, Inc., Detroit Lakes, MN • $2.5 million
Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, Denver, CO • $1.25 million
MUST Ministries, Marietta, GA • $5 million
The National Center for Children and Families, Bethesda, MD • $2.5 million
Native American Youth and Family Center, Portland, OR • $5 million
North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness, Raleigh, NC • $1.25 million
One80 Place, Charleston, SC • $5 million
Poverello House, Fresno, CA • $2.5 million
Rainbow Services, San Pedro, CA • $1.25 million
Refugee Women's Alliance, Seattle, WA • $2.5 million
Safe Haven Family Shelter, Nashville, TN • $1.25 million
The Salvation Army Austin Area Command, Austin, TX • $2.5 million
Samaritan House, Virginia Beach, VA • $1.25 million
Solid Ground, White Bear Lake, MN • $1.25 million
St. Vincent de Paul CARES, St. Petersburg, FL • $5 million
Su Casa – Ending Domestic Violence, Long Beach, CA • $1.25 million
Time for Change Foundation, San Bernardino, CA • $1.25 million
United American Indian Involvement, Inc., Los Angeles, CA • $2.5 million
WestCare California, Fresno, CA • $2.5 million
Meet a few of our 2018 and 2019 grantees
2019 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
The recipients in 2019 included 32 organizations from 23 states that received donations totaling $98.5 million to support their meaningful, high-impact work to provide shelter and support for families experiencing homelessness in communities across the country.
Bethany House Services, Cincinnati, OH • $1.25 million
Catholic Charities Eastern Washington, Spokane, WA • $5 million
Catholic Social Services Alaska, Anchorage, AK • $5 million
Coburn Place, Indianapolis, IN • $1.25 million
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Hartford, CT • $2.5 million
Covenant House, New York, NY • $5 million
Family Gateway, Dallas, TX • $2.75 million
FamilyAid Boston, Boston, MA • $5 million
ForKids, Norfolk, VA • $2.5 million
Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan, Traverse City, MI • $1.25 million
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Fremont, OH • $1.25 million
Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, Orlando, FL • $5.25 million
HOPE Services Hawaii, Hilo, HI • $2.75 million
HopeWorks, Albuquerque, NM • $2.5 million
Interim Community Development Association, Seattle, WA • $2.5 million
Lafayette Transitional Housing Center, Lafayette, IN • $1.25 million
Mary’s Place Seattle, Seattle, WA • $5 million
MIFA, Memphis, TN • $5 million
Our Family Services, Tucson, AZ • $2.5 million
Pathways of Hope, Fullerton, CA • $2.5 million
St. Joseph Center, Venice, CA • $5 million
St. Joseph’s Villa, Richmond, VA $1.25 million
St. Stephen’s Human Services, Minneapolis, MN • $5 million
St. Vincent de Paul, Baltimore, MD • $5 million
The Road Home, Salt Lake City, UT • $5 million
The Road Home Dane County, Madison, WI • $1.25 million
The Whole Child, Whittier, CA • $5 million
UNITY Of Greater New Orleans, New Orleans, LA • $2.5 million
Upward Bound House, Santa Monica, CA • $1.25 million
Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Covington, KY • $1.25 million
West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, Bridgeport, WV • $1.5 million
YWCA Columbus, Columbus, OH • $2.5 million
Meet one of 2018’s Bezos Day 1 Fund grant recipients
2018 Day 1 Families Fund Awardees
The 2018 awardees support families experiencing homelessness in 16 states and the District of Columbia. They received donations totaling $97.5 million. Here are the awardees:
Abode Services, Fremont, CA • $5 million
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA • $5 million
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, Miami, FL • $5 million
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Tacoma, WA • $5 million
Community of Hope, Washington, DC • $5 million
Community Rebuilders, Grand Rapids, MI • $5 million
Crossroads Rhode Island, Providence, RI • $5 million
District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH), Washington, DC • $2.5 million
Emerald Development and Economic Network, Cleveland, OH • $2.5 million
FrontLine Service, Cleveland, OH • $2.5 million
Hamilton Families, San Francisco, CA • $2.5 million
Heartland Family Service, Omaha, NE • $5 million
Housing Families First, Henrico, VA • $2.5 million
JOIN, Portland, OR • $5 million
LA Family Housing, North Hollywood, CA • $5 million
Northern Virginia Family Service, Oakton, VA • $2.5 million
Primo Center for Women and Children, Chicago, IL • $2.5 million
Refugee Women’s Alliance, Seattle, WA • $2.5 million
SEARCH Homeless Services, Houston, TX • $5 million
Simpson Housing Services, Minneapolis, MN • $2.5 million
The Salvation Army, Center of Hope, Charlotte, NC • $5 million
The Salvation Army of Greater Houston, Houston, TX • $5 million
UMOM New Day Centers, Phoenix, AZ • $5 million
Urban Resource Institute, New York, NY • $5 million