Bezos cheers Amazon's new coronavirus-safe family homeless shelter inside Seattle HQ
Project is a $100 million commitment to Mary's Place homeless relief efforts
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Amazon's Seattle HQ has opened its doors to serve homeless families alongside Mary's Place, just in time to provide aid during the coronavirus crisis.
The Mary's Place Family Center in The Regrade, which officially opened May 21, has the capability to hold 200 families in its 63,000 square foot facility, according to a press release. The project is a $100 million commitment to Mary's Place organization and hopes to house more than 1,000 family members annually.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos celebrated the opening on Instagram -- writing that the permanent shelter is the largest in Washington state, spanning eight floors, and includes a health clinic and "critical tools" for support.
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Mary's Place has helped homeless families find shelter and stability since 1999 and first collaborated with Amazon in 2017 to break ground on the shelter, Amazon Vice President of Global Real Estate and Facilities John Schoettler said in a statement.
"While I've long been excited for the new Mary's Place Family Center in The Regrade in the heart of Amazon's Seattle campus to open, I never could have imagined the shelter would open at such a critical time — at the start of a global pandemic," Schoettler said.
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The shelter began welcoming families in early March, at a critical time when the coronavirus pandemic was surging. The facility is also fitted with private rooms and socially distant spaces to prevent spread.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 198.38 | -4.50 | -2.22% |
"This new shelter, opening when it did, has been our saving grace," Mary's Place Executive Director Marty Hartman said in the press release. "It was our neighbors at Amazon who recognized what we needed before we ever realized it, and this space ensures we don't have to return families to homelessness during this unprecedented and trying time."
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Amazon and Mary's Place did not respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
