SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced a 25 million U.S. dollar donation from Airbnb Co-Founder and Chairman of Airbnb.org Joe Gebbia to benefit Rising Up-Larkin Street Youth Services and All Home.
The donation will support the organizations' ongoing efforts to tackle homelessness and support families and individuals facing economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the announcement said.
"As we recover from this pandemic, we have an opportunity to lift thousands of people out of homelessness and change lives, but the City can't do this alone," said London Breed. "We need the partnership of organizations like Larkin Street Youth and All Home, as well as the support of our philanthropic community."
"The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the needs of our communities and it's incumbent on all of us to do our part to help," said Joe Gebbia, Airbnb Co-Founder and Chairman of Airbnb.org. "I am proud to support the work Rising Up-Larkin Street Youth Services and All Home are doing to improve the lives of so many during these difficult times."
The Rising Up campaign is a public-private partnership launched by Mayor London Breed to raise 35 million U.S. dollars to reduce youth homelessness in San Francisco by 50 percent by 2023.
To date, the organization has raised 17 million dollars in private and public donations. Gebbia's donation will help the organization get closer to its 35 million dollar funding goal and directly support Rising Up's partnership with Larkin Street Youth Services to cover rent subsidies, education and employment services, and staffing to help young people experiencing homelessness develop self-sufficiency.
Gebbia's donation will also amplify All Home's work at a time when the San Francisco community needs it most. As rent bills pile up, All Home will launch a first of its kind regional homelessness prevention system to reduce the number of people becoming unsheltered in the Bay Area, according to the announcement. Enditem
