Coronavirus (COVID-19) devastated the travel industry this year, impacting hosts around the world. To support our community, Airbnb employees donated $1 million USD from their own pockets to kick-start a fund for hosts struggling to make ends meet. Airbnb’s founders also personally contributed $9 million USD—in addition to another $7 million USD from investors—for a total of $17 million USD.
'As a social worker, my salary is not sufficient to cover bills and educate my son. More recently, my son’s father was diagnosed with cancer and sadly passed away. Airbnb earnings helped pay for his medical treatment and now contribute to caring for his mother. Meeting new people and making lifelong friends through Airbnb has been a ray of sunshine. Receiving this grant is the silver lining in these very challenging times'.
'Covid-19 has impacted our financial situation greatly. Since we were laid off, there’s not enough money to support ourselves. We gave birth to a newborn baby in the middle of this crisis. Receiving this grant has helped us pay off bills and support our baby'.
'I am retired and my wife is unemployed. During COVID-19, I underwent cancer surgery which has given me substantial unexpected expenses. Hosting on Airbnb allowed us to pay for our mortgage and expenses but COVID has now impacted our reservations. Receiving this grant will help us survive this difficult period in time'.