One Year After Opening HQ2, Amazon Shares Community Impact Report

Nearly one year after opening the doors to HQ2’s Metropolitan Park, Amazon recaps its community engagement activities and investments in the region.

We are proud to work with nonprofits, schools, and community leaders across the National Capital region to support equity in education, affordable housing development, and regional, inclusive economic growth.

We recently released Amazon’s updated Community Impact Report for the National Capital Region, where we shared details about how we’re delivering for our customers, employees, and the communities where we operate. Success and scale bring broad responsibility and as we continue to grow, we are committed to using our resources to help address important challenges that our hometown communities face.

Here are a few highlights of our community engagement efforts and positive impact over the past year:

• We worked with more than 100 nonprofits in and around Arlington, Virginia, which is home to Amazon’s second headquarters (HQ2). Our support went to organizations like Bridges to Independence, which is working to break intergenerational cycles of poverty; the English Empowerment Center, which serves nearly 1,500 beginning-level English language and literacy adult learners; and Aspire, which helps historically underserved young people fulfill their potential through afterschool and summer learning programs that support and connect families, schools, and communities.
• Amazon was named the top philanthropic company in the Washington, D.C., metro area by the Washington Business Journal. Since 2018, Amazon has invested more than $161 million in local nonprofits, community groups, organizations, businesses, and public schools.
• Amazon launched a new housing pilot initiative that will help nearly 1,000 individuals and families from underserved communities become homeowners in Virginia and Washington, D.C., as well as Washington state and Tennessee. This is part of a broader set of initiatives from the Amazon Housing Equity Fund. Since 2021, Amazon has committed over $1 billion in loans and grants to create or preserve more than 7,500 affordable housing units in and around the National Capital Region.
• Amazon continued to advance its commitment to equity in education through several partnerships and funding efforts, including Amazon Future Engineer, a comprehensive childhood-to-career program aimed at increasing access to computer science education for students from underserved and underrepresented communities. Amazon helped students broaden their horizons through education via:
  
  • $1.8 million in scholarships awarded to 45 Capital Region students by the Amazon Future Engineer program
  • 241 schools and 23,470 students across the Capital Region received STEM education and career exploration courses
  • 13,000+ students have access to three AWS Think Big Spaces in Virginia
• Amazon has continued to support and integrate local businesses into its Arlington headquarters, representing vibrant local favorites, women- and minority-owned retailers, and others. For example, visitors can get their bike serviced at Conte’s Bike Shop, drop off furry friends at doggy daycare at District Dogs, get a workout in at HUSTLE, grab a bite to eat at Peruvian Brothers, and so much more.

Amazon will continue to strive to be a good neighbor and trusted business partner across the region.

Learn more about what we’re doing for our employees, neighbors, and the community.

Read more in our Community Impact Report for the National Capital Region.

View Amazon HQ2 >>