The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, the lead agency responsible for the oversight, planning and operations of Miami-Dade County's Continuum of Care, today announced that it has received a $5 million grant from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. This donation is the largest philanthropic gift in the Homeless Trust's history. This is the seventh year that the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded grants to organizations across the country that are leading the way to move the needle on family homelessness with the goal of ensuring that no child sleeps outside.

"Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's transformative gift of $5 million is a lifeline for Miami-Dade. It comes at a time when too many families are struggling and finding themselves caught up in the housing affordability crisis," said Ron Book, Chair, Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. "We are beyond grateful for their generosity and are committed to making strategic investments to dramatically reduce family homelessness and ensure no child sleeps outside."

Family homelessness in the U.S. rose dramatically from 2022 to 2023, and families now represent more than 28 percent of the country's homeless population, according to a 2024 report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. With its one-time Day 1 Families Fund grant, the Homeless Trust will work to reverse this national trend by serving families experiencing homelessness throughout Miami-Dade County.

Specifically, the Trust plans to use its funds to provide immediate, short-term crisis housing; short- to medium-term rental assistance with supportive services; and through acquisition and renovation, create new housing with supportive services for the most vulnerable families in Miami-Dade.

"Over the past three years, emergency shelters have seen a 31 percent increase in families with children between the ages of 0-10," said Victoria L. Mallette, executive director of the Homeless Trust. "We must invest in housing and services that help families experiencing homelessness regain housing stability. This includes the more than 130 families in our care where at least one member of the family is disabled."

Since 2018, the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded 248 grants totaling nearly $750 million to organizations serving families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The grants are uniquely flexible and enable organizations to support families experiencing homelessness -- including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters -- to regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being.

This year, the Fund issued a total of $110.5 million in grants to 40 organizations, and for the first time, nonprofits in Kansas and New Jersey are among the awardees. The other organization receiving a grant in Florida is the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.