North Bayshore, Mountain View, California / Google
As we work to build a more helpful Google, we know our responsibility to help starts at home. For us, that means being a good neighbor in the place where it all began over 20 years ago: the San Francisco Bay Area.
In June 2019, we announced a $1 billion Bay Area housing commitment to help create at least 20,000 homes at a range of income levels throughout the region. Solving a big issue like the housing shortage will take collaboration across business, government and community organizations to make the Bay Area a place where everyone can thrive.
Funding creative solutions to end homelessness
In addition to our land and investment capital, we will give $50 million in grants through Google.org to nonprofits focused on homelessness. Since 2009, Google.org has supported nonprofits that provide services for the homeless. We've learned one of the best ways to help is with a “Housing First” approach where people are provided a stable place to live first—both short-term and long-term housing.
So far, Google.org’s grants to Bay Area nonprofits are projected to support more than 70,000 people with services like food distribution, case management, and housing for 10,000 individuals. These include over $12 million in grants to organizations like Abode Services, Hamilton Families, Larkin Street Youth Services, and Life Moves.
Wherever we look to lift up our community, having a safe place to call home is a crucial part of the solution. Investing in diverse housing solutions helps us address issues like hunger, homelessness, and the pandemic response. This grant moves Hamilton Families closer to fulfilling its mission: providing a home to anyone who doesn’t have one and ensuring that those who’ve been re-housed after experiencing homelessness remain in stable, safe housing.
Rachel Kenemore, Chief Development Officer, Hamilton Families
Hamilton Families is a nonprofit working to end family homelessness in the Bay Area. They operate an emergency shelter and help place families into permanent housing. When families leave the shelter, 87% of families are stabilized after one year of being placed in permanent housing.
In November 2019, Google.org granted Hamilton Families $850,000 to support housing and wrap-around services for families experiencing homelessness. These funds are forecasted to help house 545 people and provide services to more than 1,300 people.