Key points to remember
- Since 2012, Airbnb and Airbnb.org have helped more than 250,000 people access free temporary housing.
- This work is made possible through Hosts on Airbnb, a global network of nonprofit partners and donors to Airbnb.org.
In December 2020, we announced the launch of Airbnb.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to connecting people in times of crisis to free temporary housing with support from hosts on Airbnb and organizations around the world. . The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened her home to people affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Since then, Airbnb hosts around the world have welcomed refugees, asylum seekers, and people affected by natural disasters. As Airbnb.org celebrates its second anniversary, more than 250,000 people have found free temporary accommodation since 2012 through Airbnb and Airbnb.org (up from 75,000 just two years ago) and travelers have booked 1.5 million free nights stay.
Such a response might have seemed unimaginable a decade ago, when Shell opened its home to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. This simple act of generosity sparked a movement that continues today.
This work is possible thanks to the generous hosts who have offered to open their homes, a global network of nonprofit partners who identify people in need of temporary stays, and Airbnb.org donors whose contributions help make develop their work.
Scaling Airbnb.org’s impact in 2022
In the past year alone, Airbnb.org has mobilized its network of humanitarian organizations, Hosts and donors to:
- Provide free temporary accommodation to over 115,000 people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
- Continue to offer free stays to more than 17,000 refugees around the world, including more than 12,000 Afghan newcomers.
- Support communities impacted by Hurricane Ian in the United States and Hurricane Fiona in the Caribbean.
While every crisis is different, Airbnb.org’s community of hosts and global network of partners has enabled it to move quickly to help meet temporary housing needs in response to major world events.
In 2022, Airbnb.org has developed its network of partners include major international non-profit organizations, including A light, HIAS, New Ukraine and the United Nations’ The international organization for migration—as well as hyperlocal community organizations such as Community sponsorship center to better serve those in need.
Partnerships with a range of new organizations are a way for Airbnb.org to express its ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment shapes our relationships with travelers and Hosts; our collaborations with non-profit organizations and government agencies; and our own Airbnb.org team.
Several of the organizations Airbnb.org partnered with in 2022 are dedicated to serving people from historically marginalized communities, including people who identify as racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and families affected by rare diseases. :
- ORAMsubsidiary partner of A lightwho helped LGBTQ+ people fleeing Ukraine find housing and social support in Berlin and other European cities.
- black women for black liveswhich connected 2,000 African students stranded in Ukraine with free stays outside Ukraine.
- EURORDISwhich helped Ukrainians with rare diseases travel to other cities and countries where they could get specific treatment and support.
- Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) helped low-income families in Florida temporarily move out of homes destroyed by Hurricane Ian and connected African students in Ukraine with housing in neighboring countries.
GEM’s close collaboration with Airbnb.org has helped people like Aminea Nigerian medical student who fled Luhansk, Ukraine, and was connected to a free stay in Budapest.
Crisis Connection: Mary and Dima
Mary is an Airbnb host in Berlin. When the war started, she looked for ways to help and found Airbnb.org. She opened her home to three people who fled the crisis in Ukraine – two of whom were referred to her by Alight, an organization supporting people in the LGBTQ+ community. Mary’s first guests were a trans couple on their way to the Netherlands. She was then introduced to Dima and her cat Peach. Alight helped Dima find longer-term housing, but Mary and Dima keep in touch. Marie is happy to have been able to help. “It’s really not a lot of work for me, and I’m able to make a difference,” she explained.
Airbnb.org work in progress
Airbnb.org continues to help refugees from Ukraine, where renewed violence and harsh winter conditions have intensified the need for housing. We also continue to support Afghan refugees who face an ongoing need for short-term housing, Venezuelans migrating across the Americas, and people in the United States displaced by natural disasters.
To enable this essential work, a generous donor will provide up to $5 million in total contributions to Airbnb.org through the end of December 2022. This means that each donation will have a double impact and help fund the cost of housing for people in times of crisis. Those interested in supporting Airbnb.org’s mission can visit airbnb.com/e/impact to learn more.
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests into their San Francisco home. Since then, it has over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed over 1 billion guest arrivals in over 220 countries and regions. Traveling on Airbnb retains more of the financial benefits of tourism with the people and places that make it happen. Airbnb has generated billions of dollars in revenue for hosts, most of whom are individuals listing the homes they live in. Of Hosts who self-identify, more than half are female, and one in five employed Hosts is either a teacher or healthcare worker. Travel on Airbnb has also generated more than $4 billion in tax revenue worldwide. Airbnb has helped advance more than 1,000 regulatory frameworks for short-term rentals, including in 80% of our top 200 geographies. In late 2020, to support our continued expansion and diversification, we launched the City Portal to provide governments with a one-stop-shop that supports data sharing and compliance with local registration rules. We continue to invest in innovations and tools to support our ongoing work with governments around the world to advance travel that best serves communities.
About Airbnb.org
Airbnb.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.’s technology, services, and other resources free of charge to further Airbnb.org’s charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened her home to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. It sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to offer stays to people in need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays for evacuees, aid workers, refugees, asylum seekers and frontline workers fighting the spread of the virus. COVID-19. Since then, the hosts have offered to open their homes and helped provide accommodation for 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for stays supported by Airbnb.org on its platform.
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