Amazon has announced updates to its community initiatives near U.S. data centers, detailing efforts to support small businesses, create jobs, promote sustainability, and expand education programs.
According to the report, the update aggregates recent stories from Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center regions nationwide. These include education programs, sustainability projects, grassroots micro-grants, and local events. Highlights feature a partnership with GRID Alternatives to deliver rooftop solar to nonprofits in eastern Oregon; the launch of Amazon Think Big Circle linking STEM spaces across countries; internships and back-to-school drives in California, Ohio, Virginia, and Indiana; and community celebrations tied to ongoing data center investments. The company frames these efforts under pillars of Local Skills Development, Sustainability, Hyperlocal Social Impact, and equitable STEM access.
In eastern Oregon, nine local organizations received new rooftop solar arrays through Amazon and GRID Alternatives. These installations are expected to reduce electric bills by an average of 80% over 30 years. Since 2012, Amazon’s regional investment there has exceeded $30 billion. At the AWS Summit in Washington, DC, 22 NOVA I2PA graduates were surprised with full-time job offers while more than 2,000 backpacks were assembled for students. Additional contributions include 80 sustainability kits for the Boardman Senior Center and over $2 million allocated for community initiatives across eastern Oregon in 2024—$980,000 of which will fund over 120 local projects through microgrants.
Broader economic impacts cited by Amazon include $39.2 billion injected into eastern Oregon’s economy since 2011. This investment supports approximately 8,320 full-time equivalent jobs annually and contributes $11.8 billion to GDP. In addition to this economic impact are $54.2 million in property taxes and fees projected for 2024. Planned investments also include $11 billion in Indiana (estimated at creating 1,000 jobs), $20 billion in Pennsylvania (1,250 jobs), and $6.2 billion in New Albany, Ohio—contributing $1.4 billion to Licking County GDP and supporting about 1,500 local jobs each year—plus $100,000 in micro-grants awarded to 19 Central Ohio projects.
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Seattle, Amazon is a diversified technology company involved in e-commerce, logistics, advertising, devices media as well as cloud computing via AWS. Near its data centers worldwide it emphasizes workforce pipelines alongside STEM education initiatives such as Think Big Spaces/Corners while fostering sustainability partnerships through hyperlocal grants administered with partners like ChangeX. The company positions these community programs as complements enhancing infrastructure investments that generate employment opportunities expanding supplier ecosystems regionally strengthening economies further.
