A Kern County nonprofit will receive a multi-million dollar donation from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The big picture: The Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) announced that is is receiving a $5 million grant from the charity fund operated by Bezos.
- The grant will be used to fund the construction and staffing of a 31-unit permanent housing project for low-income individuals in Kern County, California.
- The project is estimated to cost $6.1 million, with $1.7 million funded by the grant and the remaining funds secured through other sources.
- The remaining part of the grant will fund staffing, vouchers for child care and other services.
- It’s part of a $118.55 pot of money that Bezos announced this week will go to organizations across the nation that are working to combat rising homelessness.
Driving the news: CAPK is a nonprofit that was established in 1965 and administers more than a dozen programs aimed at meeting children, families and individuals at their point of need.
- CAPK says it touches the lives of nearly 100,000 people annually.
What they’re saying: CAPK CEO Jeremy Tobias told KVPR that the grant is “needle-moving.”
- “It’s a large and significant investment in the entire community, and we’re proud that CAPK is the conduit for this investment,” Tobias told the station. “We have a lot of working poor that just cannot find adequate housing and adequate shelter at their income level. They’re facing a crisis, and we try to serve those individuals.”
