Amazon is teaming up with hospitals, schools, and community organizations around the globe to supply Amazon Devices (Kindle, Fire tablets, Echo, Fire TV, and more) to those in need amid COVID-19. From helping frontline healthcare workers safely communicate with their patients to making it easier for kids to learn while schools and libraries are closed, the $5 million in device donations will help some of those who need it most during this time.
Below are some of the ways we're helping, and we'll continue to update this page with new information.
Donations for healthcare providers and patients
With donations of Echo Show devices and Fire tablets, healthcare workers can communicate with patients using Alexa, so they can enter patient rooms less frequently. This allows hospitals to conserve medical supplies and protective equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns, and more. Additionally, many of these devices are also helping patients stay connected with loved ones.
"Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen our doctors and nurses go above and beyond in incredible ways and we are so thankful for all of the work they do each and every day. We’ve been focused on caring for our patients and keeping our staff safe, which is why the donation of Echo Show devices has been incredibly beneficial," said John Bosco, SVP, Chief Information Officer, Northwell Health. "Face-to-face connections with our patients are immensely important. With the Drop In feature on Echo Show, we can communicate with our patients via video without having to enter their rooms, which also helps us protect our staff and preserve medical supplies and protective equipment."
Donations we've made to healthcare providers include:
- Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital in Japan received Fire 7 tablets to help patients communicate virtually with family and friends while in the hospital.
- RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People, UK) received Fire HD 8 tablets to help keep blind and partially sighted customers stay connected to loved ones, and access reading services during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- Kyoto University Hospital in Japan received Fire 7 tablets to help patients communicate virtually with loved ones while in the hospital.
- National Cancer Center Hospital East in Japan received Fire 7 tablets to help patients communicate with family and friends while visitors are restricted in order to help prevent COVID-19 infections.
- An Amazon Gift Card donation helped Tallaght University Hospital enhance the technology in patient rooms, Theatre, ICU and nurses’ stations.
- Central & North West London NHS Trust (UK) received Fire HB 8 tablets to help COVID-19 hospital patients keep in touch with family and friends.
- Ring and Blink donated cameras to hospitals across the U.S. in New York, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Georgia. The cameras help hospital staff communicate with COVID-19 patients remotely, preserving precious personal protective equipment resources and helping reduce the risk of exposure.
- Amazon donated Fire HD 8 tablets to the Weill Cornell Medical Center’s Department of Internal Medicine. The devices will help keep patients entertained and in touch with families while being treated at the facilities.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering received Fire 7 tablets for patients to use while in isolation. These tablets provide access to entertainment and give patients the ability to communicate with family and friends who are not able to visit the hospital.
- Rhode Island Medical Society in partnership with COVID Connectors, a program started by a Rhode Island teen, received Fire 7 tablets to distribute to hospitals across the state to help patients connect with loved ones while in isolation.
- The Seattle Children’s Hospital received Kindle Kids Edition devices and Fire HD 8 tablets to help isolated patients and their families stay connected and entertained while in treatment at the hospital.
- Northwell Health, one of the leading, non-profit healthcare systems in New York, received Echo Show devices to help staff communicate with patients in isolation, reducing the need for staff to enter patient rooms and conserving personal protective equipment.
- University of California, San Francisco hospitals received Fire HD 8 tablets to help medical professionals communicate with patients remotely and help patients communicate with family and friends while in the hospital.
- The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation received Fire 7 tablets and Fire 7 Kids Edition tablets for patients and families to use at Beaumont Hospital in Michigan.
- Musicians on Call, with Amazon Music and Amazon Devices are working to bring streaming music to hospital patients, as part of the organization’s Music Pharmacy program. This program typically brings artists and volunteer musicians into hospitals for acoustic performances. While in-person visits are on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patients will be able to stream Amazon Music Unlimited for free, on donated Fire 7 tablets.
- Amazon is working with the Hôpitaux de Paris - Hôpitaux de France Foundation (HP-HF) and Un Monde de Liens initiative from the Boulanger Foundation, to help people directly impacted by COVID-19. The donation of Fire 8 HD and Fire 7 tablets will help to support the nursing staff of French hospitals and allow hospitalized patients and elderly people in nursing homes to maintain the link with their families and loved ones.
“Music’s healing qualities are undeniable. During this highly stressful time for hospital patients and caregivers, it can bring a calming sense of relief. With the current restrictions on human interactions, patients and their caregivers are feeling more isolated than ever," said Musicians On Call President & CEO Pete Griffin. "Amazon’s support of our Music Pharmacy program with free access to Amazon Music via its Amazon Music Unlimited tier and the Fire 7 tablets provided by Amazon will enable Musicians On Call to share the healing power of music with thousands of patients across the country at a very crucial time for these communities.”
Donations for families, schools, and students
In addition to the donation of 8,200 laptops to Seattle Public Schools and collaboration with the Alliance for Education, Amazon is continuing its efforts to support families, schools and students during this pandemic. With schools moving to remote learning and libraries closed, Amazon is making it easier for families to continue learning at home with virtual learning solutions, educational content, and access to books.
In addition to the donation of 8,200 laptops to Seattle Public Schools and collaboration with the Alliance for Education, Amazon is continuing its efforts to support families, schools and students during this pandemic. With schools moving to remote learning and libraries closed, Amazon is making it easier for families to continue learning at home with virtual learning solutions, educational content, and access to books.
"Parents are giving high praise for the Kindle Kids Edition devices that were donated to our students and families," said Maggie O'Sullivan, Founding School Leader of Rainier Prep. "We wanted to make sure our students had access to books and were able to continue reading outside of the classroom and this device is perfect for that. Parents are able to see the progress a student is making through parental controls and they love that there are no apps or games, so when the kids are using them, they know that they are actually reading."
Donations we've made to educators and students include:
- ReadyCT, a Connecticut nonprofit organization focused on advancing access, equity, and career readiness for all public school students in the state, and West Haven Public Schools received Fire 7 tablets and are working together to distribute to students at Bailey Middle School so they can continue their studies while schools in Connecticut are closed.
- Global Kids Corporation, a nursery and after school care center, received Fire 7 Kids Edition tablets for students to learn and study while at home.
- Kindle devices were donated to Ark which runs schools in disadvantaged areas across the UK. The devices will help students keep up with their reading while access to schools and libraries remain limited during COVID-19.
- Fire HD 8 tablets were donated to Teach First—the charity works with schools facing the biggest challenges across England and Wales and supports children from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds. The Fire HD 8 tablets will help children who do not have access to devices like tablets or laptops keep up to date with their school work and stay in touch with their teachers.
- Rainier Prep in Seattle received Kindle Kids Edition devices and WiFi hot spots to provide easy access to books while school and libraries are closed. Rainier Prep is one of Washington's first charter schools, committed to college and career readiness for low income, students of color and immigrant students.
- Albero Della Vita, a non-profit organization based in Italy that fosters the development of children and families, received Fire HD 8 tablets, which will be used by families to learn, stay entertained, and communicate with loved ones.
Donations for communities around the world
Amazon continues to collaborate with local communities to understand how Alexa and Amazon Devices can positively support communities around the world. These donations will help those impacted by COVID-19 to stay informed with the latest news, connect easily with friends and family, and find enjoyment with their favorite books, shows, and movies.
Amazon continues to collaborate with local communities to understand how Alexa and Amazon Devices can positively support communities around the world. These donations will help those impacted by COVID-19 to stay informed with the latest news, connect easily with friends and family, and find enjoyment with their favorite books, shows, and movies.
"The visitor bans in all our facilities represent a great challenge for both residents and their relatives. Social distancing is difficult to bear, especially for people with disabilities, but also for children in our youth welfare living groups and for senior citizens in need of care in our elderly care facilities. The tablets provided by Amazon make an important contribution to turning social distancing into physical distancing," said Maik Dietrich-Gibhardt, spokesman of the board of Hephata Diakonie. "Now we are able to provide them with a chance to at least stay in touch with their relatives digitally. Therefore, we are very grateful for the generous donation of tablets and can assure that the devices will bring a lot of joy to the people entrusted to us in a difficult time."
Donations we've made to community organizations include:
- K4Connect senior living facilities across Washington and California received Echo Dot devices to help residents become more independent, while staying informed, engaged and connected with friends, family and caregivers.
- Fire HD 8 tablets were donated to Bayshore Foundation, an organization that helps elderly communities across Canada. The tablets will be provided to seniors who are in isolation due to COVID-19 to help combat loneliness and help them stay connected with family
- HomeStart Southwark, a local branch of HomeStart in the UK, are unable to visit vulnerable families or new referrals in their homes due to COVID-19. Amazon donated Fire HD 8 tablets to HomeStart Southwark to help the charity connect staff and volunteers to vulnerable families.
- Amazon donated Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 tablets to Caritas, Arbeiterwohlfahrt and Hephata Diakonie in Germany to support elderly residents in care homes to stay informed and connected.
- Amazon joined a coalition of companies answering a call from California Governor Gavin Newsom to help the state’s most vulnerable youth. Amazon is donating 10,000 Fire 7 tablets to the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation, a non-profit supporting the state’s public education system, to help middle and high school students with distance learning.
- The Seattle Storm received Echo Dot devices to give away to fans who are participating in the Seattle Storm daily workout series, which encourages fans to stay active while at home during this time. Fans can ask Alexa to set daily reminders to break a sweat with the Storm Workout skill voiced by Sue Bird.
- King County quarantine sites received Amazon Devices as part of the more than 250,000 critical items to patients in quarantine or recovering from COVID-19 across the Seattle area. Items include linens, towels, shelf-stable food, entertainment items, and other supplies.
- Save the Children in Italy received Fire 7 Tablets to give families in need devices to stay informed, connected and entertained during this time.
- Park Manor Assisted Living in Houston received Fire 7 tablets and Amazon Music subscriptions to keep residents connected and entertained.
