Amazon spread warm, holiday joy by delivering more than 2,000 “Boxes of Smiles,” stuffed with essential items and popular holiday gifts, to The Journey Home, a citywide initiative to prevent and end homelessness in Baltimore City. In addition, Amazon surprised The Journey Home with a $50,000 monetary donation.
“Amazon is proud call Baltimore home and to give back to the communities across Maryland where our employees live and work,” said Preet Virdi, director of operations, Amazon (Baltimore). “The Journey Home is an important part of the fabric of our communities across Maryland and we’re excited to acknowledge their contributions to bettering the lives of Baltimore families and individuals, and to support their great work.”
The “Boxes of Smiles,” packed by Baltimore-area Amazon associates, will be given to homeless families in need and contain essential items and popular products such as toys, electronics, personal care items, and books. The boxes were delivered to the holiday celebration in front of City Hall.
Courtesy Photo | Amazon
Amazon volunteers from the greater Baltimore area surprise The Journey Home with a $50,000 monetary donation today at Baltimore City Hall
During the event, Amazon’s Baltimore Director of Operations, Preet Virdi, shared how thrilled the entire team in the greater Baltimore area was to give back to their city this holiday season. In addition, Mayor Young remarked on the donation and shared how this will help to the community in need.
“Making homeless rare and brief for our residents is a priority for us. During this time of giving we must do what we can to create a sense of community and show every resident that we care. This very generous donation of “care packages” for our residents experiencing homelessness will bring a tremendous smile to those needing some holiday cheer. We are grateful that Amazon helped bring a smile to our residents,” states Mayor Young.
Amazon’s donation to The Journey Home is part of its larger initiative to surprise five nonprofit organizations across the U.S. with a total of more than $1M in funding and in-kind donations to support programs that provide assistance to children and families impacted by homelessness.
“This is a very generous gift from the team at Amazon! We’re so grateful especially at a time when dignity and basic human needs are deemed negotiable and kindness is optional. These care packages, delivered with compassion and connection, will go a long way as we fight to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring in Baltimore City,” said The Journey Home’s Board Chair, Winston Philip, earlier today.
Amazon is proud to provide great jobs, with industry-leading pay and benefits, to more than 6,000 full-time employees across Baltimore and the state of Maryland.