After Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012 an Airbnb host reached out to the billion-dollar online vacation rental company to propose an idea. The host asked if she could offer her home to people who had been evacuated to stay free of charge. Since then the team from Airbnb has evolved the host's selfless act and transformed it into a new method for "sharing space." 

Fast forward to 2020 Airbnb has collaborated with hosts from across the globe to help provide shelter during natural disasters. During the Australian brushfires, hosts offered assistance to close to 1,000 people impacted by the fire. June led to the launch of the Open Homes initiative where the company "doubled down on its housing efforts" to assist those impacted by disaster or conflict. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit healthcare workers and first responders were provided housing while the donation component of Airbnb's Open Homes initiative continued to grow. 

This month the company established Airbnb.org, a non-profit extension of the company that aims to "focus on helping people share housing and resources with each other in times of crisis."

According to the Airbnb.org website, they share their story and highlight the growth of the initiative. "For over 8 years, Airbnb helped people in times of crisis through the Open Homes initiative. Airbnb.org is the next chapter. We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with our own mission and board of directors."