Bezos donates more than $6 million to Albuquerque nonprofits fighting homelessness

Two Albuquerque charities will receive $6.25 million in donations as part of the $110 million Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos pledged to 40 organizations across the country combating homelessness.

It is the first time both charities — Catholic Charities and Barrett Foundation — have been selected by the Bezos Day One Families Fund, which was founded in 2018.

Only once before has the fund selected a nonprofit in Albuquerque, where Bezos was born. In 2019, homeless services provider HopeWorks secured $2.5 million from Bezos’ charity.

Natasha Gacinski, CEO of Catholic Charities, said the organization is still figuring out how to use the $5 million it received, but the majority will likely go toward its Rapid Rehousing program. The Catholic Charities website describes it as a “program from HUD available for single or two-parent families experiencing homelessness.”

“Rapid Rehousing participants receive quality support for up to 24 months from Catholic Charities’ case managers, who assist them in accessing housing, entitlements, counseling, child care, educational and employment opportunities,” according to the website.

“We were actually vetted and selected to apply. This wasn’t like an open call, and very few agencies were selected to apply,” Gacinski told the Journal on Thursday. “I’m really proud of the reputation of Catholic Charities, because, of course, we were selected. We run a wonderful housing program, but I think it speaks to the needs of our community.”

Gacinski estimates that 200 people will be assisted by the funding. By Mayor Tim Keller’s estimates, there are 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque.

Meanwhile, $1.25 million will go to the Barrett Foundation, which aids women and children experiencing homelessness.

“We’re a nonprofit, so it’s very significant; it’s amazing. We’re just so grateful,” Cory Lee, chief executive officer of the Barrett Foundation, told the Journal on Thursday. “Most nonprofits are always in need of support, and so this funding is going to allow us to just continue to work toward our mission to end homelessness in Albuquerque, especially for women and children, and it’s going to provide five years of support with the housing crisis and the lack of affordable housing.”

Lee emphasized the need for nonprofits to remain vigilant with the city’s housing crisis.

“This money is significant. Unfortunately, if you drive down the streets of Albuquerque, you know that homelessness and housing instability have increased in Albuquerque, and so the work continues,” Lee said.

Bezos, formerly the world’s richest person, and his fiancée since 2023, Lauren Sánchez are both Albuquerque natives.