Airbnb’s nonprofit held its inaugural gala on Wednesday in Los Angeles, and the internet had one reaction — the what gala?
realizing i’m the first person in my bloodline to read the words ‘airbnb gala red carpet’ one after anotherthey’re just making up events for anything now https://t.co/wwRDmA7Wfo
In case you missed it, back in 2020, Airbnb launched a nonprofit that provides free and temporary housing to families impacted by crisis or disaster. Its gala makes sense, actually, in that significant causes often throw splashy events to please big donors.
In a press release shared with TechCrunch this week, Airbnb noted that the gala marked the launch of a new initiative for the nonprofit, in which Airbnb will start donating a portion of its commercial revenue from each stay booked starting from the day of the gala, October 28. The cut amounts to 10 cents, to be exact, but Airbnb did make $12.2 billion in revenue last year.
This initiative will help generate $500 million that will then go to the nonprofit over the next five years to help it provide free housing for 1 million nights each year, per the release. It will also let the company expand to supporting families also facing displacement due to domestic violence, veterans in need, or those traveling for medical needs.
A spokesperson for Airbnb said that the night was for its supporters and “marking the next chapter of our work.” Airbnb said that people had the option to donate, but “fundraising wasn’t the focus of the evening” and that the nonprofit “didn’t set a fundraising target.” The idea is for the Gala to happen each year, and last night was invite-only, the spokesperson said, with no tables or seats sold.
The gala was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, with a live performance by Charli XCX, and food was curated by Chef José Andrés of World Central Kitchen. The guest list featured Serena Williams, Demi Lovato, Charlize Theron, and Cynthia Erivo. For the celebrities, it was a glamorous night in society for a helpful cause, joining the ranks of other Los Angeles events, like the Baby2Baby Gala and the Academy Museum Gala, as a place to be seen.
Still, people were literally confused as to why Airbnb was having a gala and how it attracted top-tier celebrities.
How the hell does Airbnb has a gala 😭 https://t.co/Kx7TUiyvfa
If you told me literally one day ago that A-list celebrities would be attending an Airbnb Gala I would say what the FUCK are you talking about https://t.co/URgwQnSgVG
the concept of an airbnb gala https://t.co/Q5LdCrGHLw pic.twitter.com/q2WegX3D5a
Absolutely stunning. What the FUCK is the Airbnb Gala. https://t.co/sWexvP6fou
i went to the airbnb gala and everyone knew you https://t.co/DBiakwlQV4
Again, a lovely event, and another data point showing that throwing a gala is one of the best ways to get rich people in a room to pay money and get media attention. And now a bunch of people on the internet know that Airbnb helps people in need, rather than perpetually making the news for negatively impacting the housing market.
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Dominic-Madori Davis is a senior venture capital and startup reporter at TechCrunch. She is based in New York City.
You can contact or verify outreach from Dominic by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at +1 646 831-7565 on Signal.
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