Earlier this week, Amazon began surprising hundreds of US charities—supporting every kind of cause from STEM education, to homelessness, hunger, disaster relief, youth organizations, sustainability and more—by fulfilling the products requested on each of their AmazonSmile Charity Lists.

The online retailer will continue to donate hundreds of thousands of items on wish lists for nonprofits through the end of the year to ensure they have what they need to get a jump start on the new year.

"We are enormously grateful to Amazon for fulfilling our Charity List," said Chris Bailey, Executive Director of the Mona Bailey Academy. "Receiving this type of product donation allows us to continue our mission of delivering cutting edge and creative educational programming to underprivileged elementary age students in the Seattle area and beyond."

Some of the items donated by Amazon during this holiday season include more than 5,000 blankets, sheets, and pillows; more than 30,000 toys and educational items for kids; more than 40,000 pajamas, shoes, and other apparel items; and over 60,000 food and pantry items from water to canned goods.

"Amazon's generosity will allow us to meet a portion of the great needs of people experiencing homelessness on our borough's streets, in the ferry terminal, and especially the children and families in our Staten Island shelter," said Reverend Terry Troia, President and CEO of Project Hospitality. "We are grateful."

In addition to fulfilling hundreds of AmazonSmile Charity Lists, Amazon is surprising several organizations whose mission is to support those experiencing homelessness across the country with more than $1 million in monetary and in-kind donations for the holidays.

Winter is the hardest time for homeless communities; a monetary donation provides nonprofits with the flexibility to fund existing gaps including emergency shelter, medicine, food, supplies, and seasonal staffing.

Along with the donation, 10,000 "Boxes of Smiles" gift packages will be delivered to shelters—which include toys, electronics, personal care products, and books—for people in need of services at Central Arizona Shelter Services, Domestic Abuse Women's Network, SEARCH Homeless Services, and other charities.

"We are so grateful that Amazon has fulfilled our AmazonSmile Charity List," said Nancy Keil, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. "The holidays are a difficult time of year for struggling families."

Hundreds of thousands of the nonprofits that have joined the AmazonSmile Charity Lists have already been able to get donations since the program was unveiled in 2013 because the lists provide an easy way for customers to donate directly to causes they want to support. Since launching, AmazonSmile has facilitated more than $155 million to charitable organizations.

For starters, Purrfect Pals, a local cat shelter based in Arlington, Washington, posted a request on Facebook asking for donations to restock their food pantry. Within just two days of the post, customers placed 300 orders worth of $20,000 in pet food.

Additionally, since Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas in September of this year, Amazon customers purchased relief items, worth over $200,000, destined for The American Red Cross, Save The Children, and SBP, to support communities affected by the hurricane.

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