Local charities receive grants from Bezos Day One Families Fund

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Thanksgiving may be next week, but two local nonprofits already have a lot to be grateful for after receiving millions of dollars in grants.

Albuquerque natives Jeffrey Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have given money to several organizations across the country to combat homelessness.

“Everyone is still a little shocked and belatedly excited,” said Linda Zamora, program director for Catholic Charities’ Center for Self-Sufficiency and Housing Assistance. “We received the maximum grant of $5 million.”

“There was a loud cry and everyone knew something good had happened,” said Corey Lee, CEO of the Barrett Foundation. “The Barrett Foundation was fortunate to receive $1.25 million.”

The grants come from Bezos’ Day One Families Foundation.

Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico And Barrett Foundation joins 38 other organizations in 23 states in an effort to end homelessness.

“This is a game changer for us and our community,” Zamora said. “We will be able to help more than 275 families with children transition from homelessness to housing.”

Each of these families will also receive comprehensive services such as employment, mental health services, education and more to ensure success once they find housing.

But for Zamora, helping neighbors find housing is a promise kept.

“I was a homeless youth between the ages of 18 and 24, and navigating this world alone can be scary. And so I vowed to myself and the community that this is where my passion would live,” Zamora said.

Catholic Charities and the Barrett Foundation have collaborated in the past, so both were pleased to receive the other’s recognition.

“We all work together, so it was amazing to see one of our fellow organizations also receive funding,” Lee said.

The Barrett Foundation provides shelter to 40 women and children, and this grant will allow them to help even more.

“This will increase our capacity and our ability to provide more services to more women over the next five years. This is truly our goal. We want homelessness to be rare and we don’t want it to be permanent,” Lee said.

The grant will also allow them to add a new navigator position to assist women in the community and provide relocation assistance.

Lee said that this is the largest amount they have received in the history of the organization.

“When you receive a gift like this, any time of year feels like Christmas or the holidays, and it feels good any time,” Lee said.