(TAN): Airbnb and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare union in the US, announced an extension of their partnership to provide free housing to medical first responders as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the country.
This extension will empower 1199SEIU to serve members in Florida, a state that continues to be hard hit by the pandemic.
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“People across the nation owe their lives to frontline workers like the heroic members of 1199SEIU. Airbnb is proud to support first responders during this unprecedented crisis and grateful to our host community for their ongoing generosity in providing places to stay,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO.
The first phase of the programme housed nearly 250 healthcare workers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Georgia. Of those, more than 80% were in the five boroughs of New York City. Airbnb provided funding for places to stay for 1199SEIU medical first responders so they could stay closer to where they worked and minimise the risk of exposing their families.
Earlier this year, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky committed USD 2 million of his personal funds to support frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, including 1199SEIU members.
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“This partnership has provided hundreds of frontline 1199ers with access to no-cost housing that allows them to safely distance from others, as they fight to protect their patients, their families and themselves from this pandemic. We are grateful to Airbnb for recognising the dedication and sacrifice put forth by our members each and every day, and for extending this programme during this critical time,” George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said.
The partnership with 1199SEIU is part of Airbnb’s Frontline stays programme, which allows hosts to open their homes to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, hosts on Airbnb have offered more than two lakh places to stay and have hosted over one lakh nights for responders around the world.
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