LA PLATA, Md. – (December 1, 2025): LifeStyles of Maryland, a community support organization centered on homelessness prevention and support, housing stability emergency and resource assistance, today announced that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are recognizing the organization with a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. This investment is the largest gift in the nonprofit’s history. LifeStyles, Inc. is part of the eighth annual cohort of organizations across the country receiving funding from the Day 1 Families Fund to deepen their work to help every family have a safe, stable place to call home.
“This gift is for the thousands of families who sleep on our streets each night, enduring the cold with nowhere to turn. This donation is a testament to the devotion that has carried us through late nights, tears, countless volunteer hours, community partnership and unwavering service. It symbolizes the heart of our LifeStyles team, our volunteers and our community members who show up day after day to serve others. It empowers LifeStyles to continue providing shelter support, transitional housing, essential resources and daily outreach to the individuals and families who rely on us,” said Sandy Washington, CEO of LifeStyles of Maryland. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Day 1 Families Fund. We hope this gift inspires others—especially those who enjoy the comfort of warm homes, safe beds and daily meals—to consider their neighbors this winter.”
LifeStyles will use its Day 1 Families Fund grant to serve even more families experiencing homelessness in Southern Maryland and surrounding areas, with the goal of ensuring no child in our community sleeps outside. Specifically, LifeStyles plans to use this one-time grant over the next five years to fuel our mission to help individuals avoid homelessness, move out of crisis and pursue pathways to stability, homeownership, and long-term sustainability. This donation underscores that every citizen of Southern Maryland deserves dignity, safety and hope.
LifeStyles of Maryland was identified to receive this grant by a group of national advisors who are leading advocates and bring expertise on homelessness, housing policy and effective approaches and solutions to family homelessness.
“As this award will help us to move the needle towards ending homelessness, we know our community will continue to play a great part in changing the lives of the unsheltered,” said Scott Bohnhoff, LifeStyles board chair.
Since its inception in 2018, the Day 1 Families Fund has awarded 280 grants totaling more than $850 million to organizations serving families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. The Day 1 Families Fund grant recipients have tremendous flexibility to use the funds in the ways that are most impactful in their communities, making the grant a game-changer for organizations on the frontlines of the family homelessness crisis. Recipients will use their funds to support families experiencing homelessness to access critical services, regain stable housing and achieve well-being.
This year, the Fund issued a total of $102.5 million in grants to 32 organizations. The full list of awardees is available at https://bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund. Case studies of the impact selected grantees have made with their funds are available at https://www.bezosdayonefund.org/case-studies.
About Lifestyles of Maryland
LifeStyles of Maryland is a community-anchored nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families as they navigate housing insecurity, financial crisis and the challenges that place them at risk of homelessness. Through street outreach, emergency assistance, supportive housing, health and wellness services and year-round food access programs, LifeStyles provides the resources and relationships people need to regain stability and build a pathway toward long-term independence.
Rooted in compassion and committed to transformation, LifeStyles ensures that every person — regardless of circumstance — has access to safety, dignity and the opportunity to thrive.
About the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund
Through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos issue annual leadership awards to organizations doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.
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