Airbnb launch of Airbnb.org, an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis.
The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 when a host named Shell opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy.
Her idea sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in need.
The program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and most recently, frontline workers fighting the spread of Covid-19.
To date, more than 100 000 hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 75 000 people in times of need. Going forward, Airbnb’s Open Homes and Frontline stay programs will now be called Airbnb.org.
Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and Chairman of Airbnb.org., said
the initiative is a testament that the power of an idea that started with one host eight years ago has transformed into a movement of compassion and hospitality.
“Founding and supporting Airbnb.org allows us to double down on our efforts to help communities in need across the world in coordination with our partners, including the IFRC and CORE, to further amplify the generosity of our host community," he said.
So, how does it work? Airbnb.org announced that it will allow hosts on Airbnb to provide free and discounted stays to people impacted by emergencies, including natural disasters and the pandemic.
Hosts who support Airbnb.org by offering free stays or making recurring donations will receive a special badge on their profile to recognise their generosity and commitment to communities in need.
To ensure community donations go further towards helping house people in times of crisis, Airbnb has pledged 400,000 shares of Airbnb stock to support the organisation’s emergency response, natural disaster response and refugee programs. Airbnb co-founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nate Blecharczyk are committing $6 million to support partners and impacted communities. In addition, Airbnb will continue to provide ongoing operational support for Airbnb.org.
As a nonprofit, Airbnb.org will scale its impact and fund stays through private donations from individuals and institutions. All funds raised through Airbnb.org will go towards covering the cost of stays for those in need.