Jeff Bezos awards $2.5M to Chum

DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth’s Chum Drop-In Shelter has landed its biggest grant in the history of the non-profit, thanks to the owners of one of the biggest companies in the world.

Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren, issued a $2.5 million grant to Chum through its Day 1 Families Fund. That fund focuses on connecting families with housing and hope. Chum is one of 32 organizations getting funds this year from Bezos, totaling $102.5 million. Chum plans to use the one-time grant over the next five years to expand its Emergency Family Shelter, support services for parents, as well as programs for children as they move toward stability.

“We are so grateful for the Day 1 Family Foundation to have recognized us and to say that Chum is worthy of our support and our funding, and we want to join with the people of Duluth in lifting up Chum and its ability to serve those addressing needing homelessness,” said John Cole, Executive Director at Chum.

Chum was chosen to receive the grant by a group of national advisors who are leading advocates around all levels of homelessness. Chum was founded in 1973, and in 2024 the non-profit programs served more than 8-thousand people, including 59 parents and 192 children.