Airbnb announced on Monday that it will provide free temporary lodging to up to 100,000 refugees leaving Ukraine.
These stays will be paid for by Airbnb hosts and donations to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund.
According to The Associated Press, almost 500,000 Ukrainians have fled since the crisis began. Ukraine’s UN envoy said on Monday that the country is still hoping for a diplomatic solution with Russia, even as Moscow moves additional troops and weapons to its border.
“We need help to meet this goal,” tweeted Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky. “The greatest need we have is for more people who can offer their homes in nearby countries, including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania,” Chesky wrote on twitter. The project is part of Airbnb’s nonprofit, Airbnb.org, which is working to help refugees.
In September, the firm announced plans to give free, short-term lodging to 40,000 Afghan refugees, more than doubling its initial goal of 20,000 disclosed in August. Airbnb reported last week that it has housed 21,300 Afghan refugees.
Over the last five years, Airbnb and Airbnb.org have offered temporary housing to 54,000 refugees and asylum seekers from a variety of countries, including Syria, Venezuela, and Afghanistan, according to the firm. It established a refugee fund last year.
Airbnb has not stated how much money it intends to spend on the latest promise or how long refugees would be sheltered. More information on how hosts can help this project, such as by offering free or discounted stays, will be available in the following days, according to the organization’s website.
