Amazon recognized as a top corporate philanthropist in the Washington, D.C., metro region

Amazon was recognized as one of the top corporate philanthropists this year in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia metro region by The Washington Business Journal. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to the area, which is home to our second headquarters (HQ2) in Arlington, Virginia, and it’s only the beginning.Since announcing that Amazon’s HQ2 would be located in Arlington in 2018, we have committed more than $88 million to local nonprofits, community groups, and schools around the region. This support is focused on addressing challenges like affordable housing, racial equity, sustainability, and equity in education.We know that success and scale bring broad responsibility, and we strive to be a good neighbor in the communities where our employees and their families live and work. When we chose Arlington as the site of our second headquarters, we made a commitment to weave ourselves into the fabric of our HQ neighborhoods and be among the most trusted business and community partners in the region.We work every day to be a trusted community partner, and it’s an honor to receive this recognition. We’re grateful to the many community leaders and organizations that we partner with to ensure we’re making the most impactful contributions—whether that be our volunteer time, in-kind donations, or financial support.Recently, Amazon was also recognized by the Business Journal as the top corporate philanthropist in the Puget Sound region, home to our other headquarters.Read more about some of Amazon’s investments in Arlington:Uplifting communitiesWe are partnering with nonprofits, civic groups, and community leaders to spur inclusive economic growth across the HQ2 region with a particular focus on education, racial equity, affordable housing, and regional economic development.

This includes our partnership with the nonprofit Doorways VA and its work to create pathways for people out of homelessness, domestic violence, and sexual assault into safer, more stable, and empowered lives. At the height of the pandemic, as the organization was pushed beyond its capacity, we supported Doorways VA in its efforts to expand shelter and community-based services. We also supported Doorways VA as it expanded housing for clients and increased access to crisis, legal, and medical counseling.Equity in educationWe know one of the most important ways we can drive inclusive economic growth in the region is by supporting equitable outcomes in education and skills training. We are grateful for and proud to support the work of our partners, like the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. The nonprofit’s mission is to teach adults the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English so they can access employment and educational opportunities. Our funding supported the organization’s pivot to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have continued to support their now hybrid education model.We are also proud to be working with the NAACP Future Leaders Scholarship Award program that provides scholarships to Arlington students with financial needs.And we are advancing education efforts in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the region through the first-ever AWS Think Big Space at Wakefield High School. The Think Big Space is an integrated environment where everything—from the furniture to the technology to the curriculum—work together to support interactive hands-on learning. The Think Big Space prioritizes personalized learning to engage students of all ages, interests, and abilities.Regional cultural eventsAmazon is committed to supporting beloved regional events, including the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and using our support to drive patrons to the small and minority-owned businesses in our new neighborhood, National Landing. This year, we brought the National Cherry Blossom Festival to National Landing through events like a kite festival at Virginia Highlands Park and a music festival at Long Bridge Park. We also supported Capital Pride—and for the first time, more than a hundred Amazon employees walked in the Pride Parade this year in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.SustainabilityWe’re committed to and invested in sustainability because it’s good for the planet, for business, for our customers, and for our communities. In the HQ2 region, we are partnering with EcoAction Arlington to increase the tree canopy in communities with higher-than-average minority populations and people living in poverty. Data shows that these neighborhoods are often the most impacted by insufficient tree cover. The lack of trees has a real-world impact that can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes, higher utility costs, and a lower quality of life.

Commitment to housing equityOne of the most significant challenges we face in the region is the availability of affordable housing, and we believe that the private sector and governments can do more to partner together.Through the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, we’ve contributed more than $900 million to support affordable housing in the Arlington and metro-Washington, D.C., areas, with more to come. Since the launch of Amazon Housing Equity Fund in mid 2021, our efforts have helped create and preserve more than 6,000 affordable homes. Based on data provided by Arlington County, the funding has helped increase long-term affordable multifamily housing stock in Arlington by 22%.We know there is more work to be done. This is just the beginning of our support of the broader community throughout the HQ2 region. We are thankful to all of our partners and neighbors, and we look forward to working together to continue to drive inclusive economic growth across the region.

Source: www.aboutamazon.com

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