In King County, Washington, an estimated 2,300 families are homeless on any given night. And each night, staff at Mary’s Place have to tell 15 to 20 families that there are no beds for any of them across the county. Living in cars and tents, children may need to get cleaned up for school in public restrooms. Finding services—laundry, food, transportation—becomes an immediate challenge.i
Mary’s Place is dedicated to bringing all homeless families in King County inside to safety and stability. The nonprofit provides safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children, and families. In response to the growing homeless crisis, in 2016, Mary’s Place began offering mobile services to the “unsheltered”— people living in tents and cars.
In 2017, Mary’s Place provided 175,286 overnight stays for the homeless.
Founded in 1999, Mary’s Place started as a day center for homeless women who needed meals, medical care, a phone, or a place to apply for housing and jobs. Today, Mary’s Place operates that day center and eight emergency family shelters with over 550 beds each night, and access to housing and employment resources each day.
Mary’s Place depends on corporate and community partners, faith communities, and individual donors to keep helping women and families experiencing homelessness. Through community generosity, last year, Mary’s Place opened two additional shelters in the county. Both of these facilities provide a full range of services for families— housing and employment resources, nutritious meals, wellness services, and Kids Club activities.
Now, it’s easier than ever to give to Mary’s Place with Alexa Donations. Donors who have Alexa-enabled devices can contribute to their favorite charities with their voice. For example, customers can simply ask Alexa to make a donation to Mary’s Place to give a charitable donation via Amazon Pay using the information stored in their Amazon accounts. It’s that easy.
To help end family homelessness in King County, simply ask,
Alexa, make a donation to Mary’s Place.
Using Alexa Donations with Amazon Pay to contribute to Mary’s Place can provide beds and critical services to those in need. Try it now to give vulnerable families in King County hope, confidence—and a safe night’s sleep.
At Amazon, we’re committed to making giving as easy as talking, and we are already working with more than 180 nonprofits to offer Alexa Donations. To learn more about Mary’s Place—visit the website FAQ.
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i Seattle Times, Mary’s Place Launch Campaign, 2018
ii Mary’s Place, Annual Report, 2017