Chum, which operates the largest emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness north of the Twin Cities, has received a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund. It’s the largest private gift the Duluth-based nonprofit has received in its 52-year history.

The grant is part of $102.5 million distributed to 32 organizations nationwide this year by the foundation started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and philanthropist Lauren Sanchez Bezos.

Since it was founded eight years ago, the fund has awarded more than $850 million in grants to nonprofit groups in all 50 states, including to several Twin Cities organizations. They include St. Stephen’s Human Services, Simpson Housing Services and The Link, all of which operate in Minneapolis, and Solid Ground in White Bear Lake.

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