Jeff Bezos donates $5 million to stop family homelessness in Milwaukee area

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County announced that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are recognizing the organization with a $5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund.

Thirty-two organizations across the country were provided $102 million in grants, as Sánchez Bezos noted in her Instagram post about their efforts.

Gina Santagati, the chief development officer at United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, said the grant will provide continued support to the Safe & Stable Homes initiative for years to come in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.

“It’s huge. We’re so thankful to them for this amazing gift and to all our donors who give to this work," Santagati said. “This will help to sustain this work going forward. It means that children and families will have safe and stable homes to go home to.

The Safe & Stable Homes initiative with United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County has a goal of ending family homelessness in their four-county footprint by 2025.

“We are so grateful to the Day 1 Families Fund for this generous grant,” said Amy Lindner, president & CEO for United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. “Our community has come together to provide solutions for homelessness for thousands of families throughout our community. This grant will provide continued support to our Safe & Stable Homes initiative for years to come.”

Since its inception, the Day 1 Families Fund has issued 280 leadership awards totaling $852,175,000 to organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. The full list of Day 1 Families Fund leadership award recipients is available here.