- Community
Learn how we invest in the community, help power the local economy, and support our employees in the Puget Sound region.
Written by Amazon Staff
Recent Updates
Amazon and the Seattle Storm expand youth access through Jr. Hoops Community Clinics
Amazon's partnership with the Seattle Storm continues to grow, now marking the third year of Jr. Hoops Community Clinics, a collaborative effort to bring coaching, mentorship, and accessible basketball programming to youth across the Puget Sound region. Over the past three years, more than 600 kids have come through the clinics.
This year's clinics kicked off in August with Mary's Place at the BECU Storm Center in Seattle, followed by a four-week series in October at the Family First Community Center in Renton, and wrapped with a clinic for Summit Community Center in Tukwila, bringing the program to communities throughout the region.
The Seattle Storm's youth basketball program leads the clinics, running drills and sharing a love for the game. Their involvement creates an environment where kids build basketball fundamentals while connecting with positive role models.
“Partnering with Amazon has been important for us to allow free access to these kids. Finances can be a big barrier for kids in sports these days, so it provides access for them to learn difficult life skills through the sport of basketball,” said Kiana Peterson, Jr. Storm coach.
This year, Amazon donated Kindle and Fire tablets to Mary's Place, Dignity for Divas, the YMCA, and Summit Community Center, giving these organizations additional tools to support youth learning, life-skills programming, and access to resources throughout the year. Working alongside these nonprofits ensures that support is shaped by the people closest to the need, so it reaches families right where they need it most.
Amazon and the Seattle Storm share a commitment to showing up for their hometown communities. That means caring about youth on and off the court to make sure that Amazon's support provides the wraparound services young people need, whether that's emotional, physical, or practical.
October 13, 2026 10:56 AM
Amazon welcomes parents to HQ1 for Parents’ Day
On Friday, October 9, Amazon's Seattle campus once again opened its doors to employees' parents, mentors, and other important figures in their lives for Bring Your Parents to Work Day—a beloved tradition that returned after a hiatus since 2019.
Guests visiting Amazon's South Lake Union campus took part in a full day of activities spotlighting the people, culture, and community connections behind the company's Puget Sound presence. A highlight of the day was a fireside chat with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who shared how his parents shaped him, how he—a dad of two—thinks about parenthood and family, and his optimism for Amazon's future.
Guests browsed the Book Fair to take home a title from Amazon Editors' Best Books of 2026 and sat in on a live recording of the Straight Talk podcast with Amazon leaders discussing AI and innovation. They also experienced Amazon's culture firsthand through employee training sessions like Working Backwards and Customer Obsession 101—the same sessions offered to employees.
The day underscored Amazon's connection to the neighborhoods its employees call home. Guests received a meal credit and coffee voucher to use at campus cafés, along with a coupon book featuring deals from nearby Seattle businesses—part of an effort to spotlight local partners who make up the heart of the community surrounding HQ1.
“This is actually my first job post grad, so it’s such an exciting time to show him all the facilities, where my desk is and The Spheres,” said Emily, a project manager at Amazon.
“I am such a proud dad!” her dad replied.
For many employees, the day offered a rare chance to show parents and loved ones where they spend their working hours. Amazon looks forward to continuing to be part of the fabric of South Lake Union and the communities where its employees live and work.
October 12, 2026 6:50 AM
Longtime Amazon partner FareStart hits 20 million meals served
When FareStart recently served its 20 millionth meal, it marked more than three decades of a simple idea: that people facing homelessness and other barriers don't just need food—they need skills, dignity, and a path forward. Amazon is grateful to have been a long-standing part of that mission.
Since 1992, more than 8,000 students have participated in FareStart's programs, with nearly 70% of adult graduates securing a job within 90 days of completing the program.
As Amazon grew in South Lake Union, the company looked for ways to invest in the community growing alongside it. FareStart has operated from 700 Virginia Street since 2004, and a partnership took root. That relationship has deepened over time: Amazon provides FareStart with donated space across two HQ1 buildings—a barista training program at Houdini North and a community meal kitchen at Galaxy. Amazon employees also order directly from FareStart for corporate catering, helping sustain a program that runs on both community purpose and real business.
Since 1992, more than 8,000 students have participated in FareStart's programs, with nearly 70% of adult graduates securing a job within 90 days of graduating. Earlier this year, FareStart’s reach expanded with help from a delivery van donated by Amazon. Since May, the van has delivered more than 3,400 meals, including dinners and sack lunches to people in permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, and enhanced shelters.
FareStart provides culinary training and job placement for people facing homelessness and other barriers, helping them build skills, dignity, and a path forward.
"Over more than three decades, FareStart has grown from a single kitchen into a program that has trained thousands of people and placed them into careers. That scale doesn't happen without partners who are truly invested in the work," said Patrick D’Amelio, CEO of FareStart.
Amazon's commitment to food security spans the Puget Sound region. Since 2020, Amazon has delivered more than 6.1 million meals from food banks to families' homes, extending its commitment to provide free home delivery services for food bank partners through 2028.
FareStart's 20 millionth meal is a milestone that belongs to an entire community—one that will continue to work together to expand access to food in the Puget Sound region.
October 7, 2026 3:04 PM
From backpacks to classroom supplies, Amazon helps Puget Sound students start the school year strong
Children read books before their first day of kindergarten as part of the Everett Ready Program.
As students across the Puget Sound region head back to school, community organizations, educators, and volunteers are working together to make sure every student has what they need to thrive.
In Seattle, the Alliance for Education's Back-to-School Resource Program is helping Seattle Public Schools families prepare for the year ahead.
A $50,000 investment from Amazon is supporting the effort, including funding for Emerson Elementary and the Classroom Resource Fund, which helps educators purchase supplies. Amazon also donated Fire TV Sticks to Seattle Public Schools, including 65 devices for Emerson's teachers.
"The classroom supplies, new technology for our teachers, and student-designed mural have strengthened our sense of community and school pride. Returning to Emerson and seeing the collective efforts of students, families, staff, and community partners is truly inspiring," said Keyunda Wilson, principal of Emerson Elementary. "When partners show up for students when it matters most, we create meaningful opportunities and a lasting impact together."
Emerson recently reopened after flooding forced the school to close last year. From Sept. 11 to 22, Amazon volunteers joined Urban Artworks to paint a student-designed mural celebrating the community's resilience.
Amazon volunteers work on a student-designed mural at Emerson Elementary, painted in partnership with Urban Artworks to celebrate the community's resilience after the school reopened following last year's flooding.
In Everett, a $25,000 investment in the Everett Public Schools Foundation supported books for 18 elementary schools and kindergarten readiness events. More than 1,100 incoming kindergartners participated in the Everett Ready program in 2026, building confidence before their first day. Educators report that participants enter kindergarten independently and ready to learn.
In Bellevue, Amazon and Ascend Hospitality Group hosted the "Dream Big: AHG Has Your Back" event, where 700 students from five local nonprofits received backpacks, chose their own supplies, and enjoyed lunch together.
In Tacoma and beyond, donations through Tacoma Community House, East African Community Services, Wellspring Family Services, and other partners extended back-to-school support to students and educators across the region.
October 5, 2026 8:25 AM
CIDBIA and Amazon power Seattle's beloved CID Night Market
Drummers in colorful attire offer a cultural music performance at the CID night market
In 2024, Amazon made a $250,000, three-year commitment to the Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), helping bring the CID (Chinatown-International District) Night Market back after its 2023 cancellation and supporting the event through 2026.
This September marked the third year of that partnership, with Amazon once again serving as presenting sponsor of the annual Night Market. Now in its 19th year, the event brings together local food, vendors, cultural performances, and community members for a day that celebrates the Chinatown-International District. The free, family-friendly street festival features more than 100 local vendors and food trucks, along with live cultural performances throughout the day.
For the CIDBIA, the Night Market is also an opportunity to introduce more people to the neighborhood and the small businesses that are part of it—turning a single day of celebration into a lasting connection between visitors and the community.
Attendees look on as dancers put on a performance at the CID night market.
"Amazon's support over the past three years has helped us bring the Night Market back and continue a tradition that means so much to this community," said Tuyen Than, executive director of the CIDBIA. "The Night Market brings people into the CID to experience firsthand how vibrant and historic this neighborhood is, while discovering the restaurants, shops and small businesses that make it such a special part of Seattle."
That exposure can have an impact well beyond one day. According to the CIDBIA, foot traffic in the district is up 12% in 2026 compared with 2025, a sign that events like the Night Market are drawing lasting—not just one-day—support to local businesses.
Amazon's Night Market investment has been part of the company's broader work focused on supporting the neighborhood, its small businesses, and the community members who visit it.
August 5, 2026 1:12 PM
Jimothy inspires Amazon and other organizations to raise more than $270,000 for Ballard Food Bank
Seattle’s beloved raccoon Jimothy has inspired more than memes and fan art—he’s also sparked a wave of giving to support neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
The effort began when Seattle artist Ryan Henry Ward auctioned an original painting of Jimothy to benefit Ballard Food Bank. After the artwork sold for $6,543.21, Amazon matched the winning bid and challenged other companies to join in.
Eleven companies answered the call, helping raise $71,995.31 for Ballard Food Bank.
Amazon is now announcing an additional $200,000 donation to Ballard Food Bank as part of its broader commitment to helping ensure communities have reliable access to food throughout the year.
Combined with the $71,995.31 raised through the Jimothy campaign, the donation brings the total support for Ballard Food Bank to $271,995.31, enough to help provide approximately 2.7 million meals for families in need.
Supporting reliable access to food year-round
Amazon works with food banks and hunger-relief organizations across the country to help food reach people who may face transportation, mobility, or other access barriers.
Since 2020, we’ve used our transportation network to deliver more than 6.1 million meals, on behalf of local food banks, directly to Puget Sound residents at no cost to the organizations or families receiving them.
Ballard Food Bank serves neighbors across northwest Seattle and beyond through its grocery-style food bank, home delivery program, community resource hub, and other services designed to provide food and support with dignity.
What began with a painting of one of Seattle’s most memorable residents has become meaningful support for an organization helping thousands of neighbors across the region.
July 30, 2026 3:39 PM
Amazon and C&A Development break ground on 67 affordable homes in Seattle's Capitol Hill
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Amazon and Seattle-based real estate firm C&A Development celebrated the groundbreaking of The Pointe at Thomas Apartments in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood on July 30. The transit-oriented development will provide 67 affordable homes for households earning between 40% and 80% of Area Median Income — serving teachers, health care providers, transit workers, and other essential community members in one of Seattle's most vibrant neighborhoods.
C&A Development, co-founded by Super Bowl champion and former Seattle Seahawk Cliff Avril and urban planner Alex Cohen, brings deep community connections and innovative vision to the project. The Amazon Housing Fund committed $6.7 million in below-market financing to help bring that vision to life, with Seattle Credit Union providing $11.4 million in construction capital and a Washington State Department of Commerce grant supporting pre-development costs. Prior to construction, the project received support through a Washington State Department of Commerce grant that reimbursed eligible pre-development expenses incurred during the planning and design phases.
“We believe the people who power this city – teachers, health care workers, and everyday professionals deserve the opportunity to live in the communities they help sustain,” said Cliff Avril, co-founder of C&A Development.
Located just two blocks from light rail, The Pointe at Thomas will meet a minimum Built-Green 4-Star Standard and feature sustainability elements including a green roof and heat pump water heater — promoting car-free living and reducing residents' carbon footprint.
The development also includes a community partnership with Odessa Brown Children's Clinic. C&A will offer OBCC employees, patients, and family members first notice of unit availability, and is working with transit authorities to provide reduced-price transit passes for residents.
The homes will remain affordable for 99 years. The Pointe at Thomas is part of Amazon's broader commitment of more than $900 million to help create and preserve more than 10,000 affordable homes across the Puget Sound region, benefiting more than 22,000 residents.
July 27, 2026 6:56 AM
From AI arcades to robot demos: Inside Amazon's Kids Day
From building AI-powered video games to cleaning up a miniature ocean, kids got hands-on with the technology shaping their future.
Last week, more than 7,800 kids took over HQ1 in Seattle for the annual Bring Your Kids to Work Day, a two-day interactive experience designed to spark curiosity and creativity in the next generation of builders.
What kids experienced at Amazon's Kids Day
Across more than a dozen stations, kids explored everything from virtual reality training simulations to horticulture under a microscope. At the Agentic Arcade, built using AWS, kids answered questions that helped AI create a custom video game—then got to play it. At Badge in a Box, they designed their own AI-powered stickers.
A highlight of the Seattle event: Lo-Fi Robotics Club, a local youth robotics club, partnered with Amazon to showcase their work alongside Amazon's Vulcan Robotics program. Kids also packed their own Amazon packages at the Pick and Pack station, used real stethoscopes at the Doctor for a Day booth with One Medical, and learned about recycling through a game called Trashketball.
How AI and robotics sparked curiosity
"Kids go from 'I can't do this' to 'What else can I make it do?' the moment their code actually works," said Ojas Suley, Risk and Compliance Specialist at Amazon and coach for Lo-Fi Robotics Club. “Events like these plant seeds—you never know which kid walks away thinking, 'I could actually make this a career.'”
"Learn and Be Curious" is one of Amazon's Leadership Principles—and this expo brought it to life for the youngest members of the Amazon family. Whether they were free-building with LEGOs alongside a professional artist constructing a mural of Rufus, or learning about Amazon's ocean cleanup initiatives, kids left with more than just swag. They left with a glimpse of what's possible.
Activities ran July 23-24 at Amazon's Seattle headquarters, with a similar event taking place at HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia in June.
June 30, 2026 3:15 PM
Bringing soccer’s biggest moment to Puget Sound communities
As one of the biggest moments in sports plays out in our hometown, Amazonis partnering with cities, nonprofits, and community organizations to make sure the excitement reaches every neighborhood, not just the stadium.
Amazon helps bring more than 1,400 young people to the matches
Through a partnership between Amazon, the City of Seattle, and the Seattle local organizing committee, more than 1,400 young people and their caregivers are attending tournament matches this summer—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for families across the region.
A new year-round field for Marysville
Earlier this summer, Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex in Marysville opened a new synthetic turf field—a project Amazon supported alongside city and community partners. The field gives the growing community a durable, year-round space for youth sports and gatherings, with ADA-accessible seating, drainage upgrades, walkways, and lighting for evening play.
Neighborhood celebrations across the region
Amazon is supporting community-led programming throughout the Puget Sound:
- Federal Way: brought watch parties, live music, soccer clinics, and family activities—a festival for fans of all ages to celebrate.
- Tukwila: Tukwila United is running youth soccer clinics, equipment giveaways, a "Tuk Cup" tournament, and esports competitions in one of the region's most diverse communities.
- Redmond:.
- Bellevue: Tournament activations through the Bellevue Downtown Association bring fans together at The Meadow on the Amazon campus.
Getting fans there, hassle-free
Amazon is offering free evening and weekend parking and running free shuttles to Seattle Stadium, making it easy for fans to enjoy the matches stress-free.It's a global moment, felt locally—in new fields, shared experiences, and stronger community ties across the region.
June 19, 2026 4:14 PM
Shellabrating five years of restoring Puget Sound's native oysters
Volunteers stack bags of Pacific oyster shells to use for expanding Olympia oyster populations in Puget Sound. Photo credit: Alabastro Photography
This month, Amazon marks a 5-year partnership with Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), a Washington nonprofit restoring marine habitat and native species in Puget Sound.
How Amazon volunteers help restore native oysters in Puget Sound
On June 17, Amazon volunteers headed to Samish Bay to work alongside PSRF scientists and Taylor Shellfish Farms to build habitats for native Olympia oysters, or “Olys”.
Since 2022, Amazon has helped rebuild native oyster populations that once thrived throughout the region, offering financial and volunteer support to outplant millions of young oysters. This year, volunteers stacked hundreds of bags of Pacific oyster shell to expand Oly populations and cleaned shells for scientific monitoring throughout Puget Sound.
Why native oysters matter for Puget Sound's marine ecosystem
Each Oly can filter up to 5 gallons of water per day. Dense oyster beds serve as nurseries for marine species, including young salmon and crabs. After a century of decline from overharvest, pollution, and habitat loss, PSRF’s restoration work, supported by Amazon’s sustained contributions, helps reverse that trend.
What partners say about Amazon's oyster restoration work
“Amazon has been a great partner, providing consistent funding and dedicated volunteers who unfailingly dive in on the hands-on work of oyster restoration,” said Jodie Toft, executive director of PSRF. “They have helped us successfully jumpstart the Olympia oyster population in one of Washington’s original Oly strongholds—Samish Bay—with one of our closest partners, Taylor Shellfish Farms.”
“It’s inspiring to see Amazon’s team return year after year,” said Bill Dewey, director of public affairs at Taylor Shellfish. “Their involvement shows that corporate partnerships can make a measurable difference for our marine ecosystems.”
Oyster fun fact: The West Coast's only native oyster is the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida), or "Olys.” Most oysters farmed and eaten in Washington are Pacific oysters. Both are “true” oysters, which belong to a different family than “pearl oysters.” Yet, on rare occasions, small pearls are found in true oysters.
June 5, 2026 3:12 PM
Amazon unveils Whale Tail Selfless Station on Seattle campus
Amazon Whale Tail selfless station unveiling. Andrew Devore (Amazon). Photo by Alabastro Photography.
This summer, the world is coming to Seattle—and Amazon is welcoming them with public art rooted in the culture and community of the Pacific Northwest.
On June 4, Amazon unveiled its Whale Tail Selfless Station on the Day 1 Playfield—one of 26 art pieces that are part of the Seattle Unity Loop. The Selfless Stations are large-scale public art and community engagement hubs where visitors can take photos, learn about local nonprofits, and donate to causes that matter.
Amazon's whale tail was designed by Felicia "Felix" Bryan, an enrolled Chinook artist and scholarship recipient at Gage Academy of Art—one of Amazon's tenants on its Seattle campus. Raised in a family of artists, Felicia works across oil, beadwork, and block printing to tell stories of emotion, cultural heritage, and life experience. Their piece depicts the great blue heron (sbəq̓ʷaʔ), honoring Coast Salish spiritual traditions and the enduring connection between the natural and spiritual worlds.
“To me, the blue heron represents not only a culturally significant bird, but a local icon found all along the Salish coast,” said Bryan. “Merging two iconic silhouettes together that, to me, represent Seattle the best, nature and culture, water and heritage.”
The installation is part of Amazon's broader commitment to supporting Seattle communities this summer. Amazon is donating sports equipment to local organizations, sponsoring community games and clinics for families, and continuing to offer free public parking on evenings and weekends with free shuttle service to the stadium—making it easier for fans to get to games and encouraging the use of public transportation.
The Whale Tail Selfless Station will remain on the Day 1 Playfield through the duration of the World Cup, before being moved to its permanent location on campus. Visitors are encouraged to stop by, take a photo, and learn more about the local nonprofits the program supports.
June 4, 2026 1:40 PM
Volunteers roll up their sleeves for spring cleanups across the Puget Sound
During May’s Global Month of Volunteering, that meant rolling up their sleeves in two busy downtown neighborhoods: Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square and downtown Bellevue. Together, local volunteers helped care for shared public spaces and keep these neighborhoods clean and welcoming.
Volunteers give Pioneer Square a spring refresh
Amazon teams join the city of Bellevue for a downtown cleanup
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