All In Washington, a nationwide relief effort for COVID-19, announced on Monday, December 21, that Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has pledged an additional $ 25 million in funding for the campaign, which will help its total contributions are $ 50 million.

Bezos’ pledge will help All In WA meet its new fundraising goal of $ 100 million, according to a press release from All in WA. Bezos is the founder of Amazon and the Kent-based aerospace company Blue Origin.

All in WA are providing funds for causes that support workers and families acutely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, especially black, indigenous and colored people (BIPOC), who are disproportionately affected.

Since launching in May, All In WA has raised more than $ 70 million in contributions, including Bezos Matching Funds, to over 50 causes and community funds across the state. This includes support for All In WA funds, which focus on five critical areas: child and family services, food insecurity, small business recovery, youth homelessness, and support for undocumented families. In addition, All In WA launched the Digital Equity Initiative to fill gaps in digital access and the Child Care Initiative to expand affordable access to childcare.

While Washington’s generosity has been unprecedented, the effects of the pandemic are far from over. In response to an urgent need in our state, All In WA has set a new donation goal of $ 100 million. As with his previous promise, Bezos will raise individual donations of up to $ 1 million.

“Earlier this year, Jeff Bezos’ $ 25 million pledge to All in WA had an incredible impact on our ability to serve Washingtonians,” said Tony Mestres, president and CEO of the Seattle Foundation, which directs the All In WA effort . “By doubling his commitment to $ 50 million, he is again making sure we can expand our support to families, individuals, community organizations, and businesses across the state.”

In response to that increased gift and All In WA’s new $ 100 million goal, Governor Jay Inslee responded on Dec. 21.

“This has been a year of unprecedented hardship for our state,” said Inslee. “As a result of this pandemic, families and workers had to grapple with unimaginable difficulties in order to meet basic needs such as housing, food, digital access and childcare – and systemic inequality makes it difficult for our black and indigenous communities, the colored and our rural and remote residents to to stay healthy and safe. Along with this need, we’ve also seen the tremendous generosity of philanthropy and corporations, and I want to thank these donors, Jeff Bezos and All In WA, for working hard to provide the critical resources to support this in addition to government funding to meet critical needs. ”

All In WA is a coalition of philanthropic and community leaders, corporations, community foundations, United Way organizations, frontline charities, individuals and officials across Washington state. Donations can be made to the All In WA Fund, a total fund that bridges funding gaps across the state – or directly to community and causal funds across Washington.

Donations to the All In WA Fund are distributed in the form of grants to nonprofits across the state. A fund advisory group monitors the granting of grants from the All In WA fund. The Seattle Foundation, a local community foundation, is the architect of the All In WA Fund and provides in-kind support to the statewide coalition.

Visit allinwa.org to contribute to the All-In-WA Fund or to raise community funds directly.

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