Amazon has opened a homeless shelter inside one of its office buildings at its headquarters in Washington state, collaborating with the non-profit organisation Mary's Place. The eight-floor family shelter that can fit up to 200 people, is separated from the office, as both facilities have their own entrances.
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos posted pictures of the new space on his Instagram account on Thursday.
"I'm so happy to share this. Today, along with @MarysPlaceWA, we've opened the largest family homeless shelter in Washington state. It's housed inside one of Amazon's buildings at our headquarters here in Seattle. This shelter spans eight floors — including a health clinic and critical tools to help families in need get back on their feet. Thanks to Mary’s Place for their partnership in bringing this creative solution to life. #NoChildSleepsOutside", Bezos stated.
According to Amazon, there are 50 families living in the facility for social distancing purposes at the moment. In total, the shelter is expected to serve up to 1,000 families a year.