Affordable housing to tech trainings: How Amazon is giving back to communities

Since Amazon opened its virtual doors, it has been deeply intertwined with the communities we call home.

We aim to make our customers’ lives better and easier every day, and we apply this innovative spirit within our hometown communities, using our scale and abilities to take on some of society’s most pressing challenges.

Working side-by-side with community partners, we’re increasing access to affordable housing and alleviating hunger. We’re strengthening education and helping people build skills for the future. And we’re mobilizing our infrastructure and technology to quickly support affected communities when natural disasters strike.

We’re also empowering selling partners to get involved. The Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Donations program allows independent sellers that use FBA to join us in donating eligible products (including returns) to families and individuals in need through Amazon’s nonprofit partner. In 2023, Amazon donated or helped individual sellers donate more than 160 million products worldwide. The program has provided clothes and school supplies to families in need, essential items to those facing homelessness, furniture to survivors of natural disasters, and so much more.

So much has changed since we started, but our gratitude for and commitment to our neighbors and communities remain as strong as ever. Working together, we can continue to make a difference for so many people.

Discover how Amazon supports local communities across the U.S. by reading our Community Impact Reports (Puget Sound, National Capital Region) or checking out highlights below.

$3.6 billion committed to create or preserve 35,000 affordable homes

The outside of Atrium Court. There is a road and car in front of the building.

Atrium Court, a 271-unit affordable housing community in Seattle, WA, was created with support from the Amazon Housing Equity Fund.

We believe that everyone should have access to housing they can afford. That’s why we created the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. Since launching the fund three and a half years ago, we’ve provided $2.2 billion in low-rate loans and grants to create or preserve over 21,000 affordable homes that will positively impact the lives of more than 46,000 residents. And in June 2024, we announced an expanded commitment of $1.4 billion to create or preserve an additional 14,000 homes, bringing our total commitment to fund the creation or preservation of 35,000 affordable homes across three of our hometown communities—the Puget Sound, National Capital, and Nashville, Tennessee regions.

34 million meals delivered directly to families

The back of a Food Bank worker in a warehouse. There are boxes of lettuce on either side of them.

Fresh produce being readied for families at the Capital Area Food Bank in the National Capital region.

Amazon supports the critical work of our partners to help individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. We do this through donations of food, and by delivering groceries throughout our communities. To date, we’ve donated 59 million meals to foodbanks, pantries, kitchens, and shelters and, through our Community Delivery program, we’ve delivered more than 34 million meals directly to families across our hometown communities. Families who receive home-delivered groceries benefit from greater access to food assistance and experience improved emotional well-being compared to those participating in food pickup programs. And they save money and time—on average, residents served by community delivery save $100 per month.

2.1 million students received 17 million hours of STEM education

Students studying Amazon-supported computer science courses to prepare for the jobs of the future.

We are investing in programs that empower children, higher education students, and adult learners to unlock their full potential. By focusing on critical digital skills, we prepare these individuals for the jobs of the future. Amazon Future Engineer—our childhood-to-career computer science program—has inspired and educated millions of students. To date, the Amazon Future Engineer program has provided $46 million in scholarships to 1,150 students. In the past year, more than 2.1 million students received over 17 million hours of STEM education, literacy, and career exploration courses through Amazon’s philanthropic education programs. We’ve committed $12 million in Generative AI scholarships, which will reach and empower 50,000 high school and university students from underserved and underrepresented communities. And Amazon’s donations to local partner organizations are helping underserved students access food, shelter, clothing, and school supplies so they can focus on learning.

31 million+ learners received free skills training in cloud computing and technology

Learners building cloud computing skills and exploring career opportunities at an AWS Skills Center.

Amazon offers a vast array of education and training programs to help individuals develop the skills they need for careers in technology. AWS Skills Centers provide free, in-person classes for adults with little or no technology experience, exposing students to real-world applications of cloud computing and related career possibilities. AWS re/Start is a free training program that helps unemployed or underemployed individuals build essential skills for careers in cloud computing while connecting them to potential employers. And we recently launched “AI Ready,” a new commitment to provide free AI skills training to 2 million people globally by 2025. To date, 219 AWS re/Start cohorts across the U.S. have received tech skills training for free, with every student having access to 400 hours of free education.

4.8 million+ relief items donated to nonprofits assisting U.S. disaster response

Amazon Wildfire Relief Hub: humanitarian goods and supplies

An Amazon employee packages emergency supplies at the Disaster Relief Hub designated for wildfire relief efforts, located within California's San Bernardino Valley.

Amazon’s disaster relief and response efforts leverage our technology and global logistics network to provide fast, effective aid for communities impacted by natural disasters. Our 14 global disaster relief hubs are stocked with relief items including shelter materials, hygiene supplies, medical equipment, repair materials, and household items. When disaster strikes, we’re able to use our fleet of cargo jets and trucks to quickly deliver Amazon-donated items to communities across the globe. We also enable customers to donate products and cash on Amazon.com and help disaster response organizations quickly scale through AWS. We’ve used our logistics infrastructure and expertise to respond to 44 natural disasters across America since 2021, and we’ve donated more than 4.8 million relief items to nonprofits actively assisting affected communities.