Thousands of Afghan refugees are being evacuated from Kabul daily as conditions in Afghanistan worsen. Afghanistan’s extreme turmoil escalated when the U.S. began pulling troops after two decades of continuous deployment to the region. Within days, the Associated Press had reported the Taliban capture of critical parts of the country, leading to the collapse of Afghanistan’s military and government.

In the upheaval, residents are fleeing the country in record numbers. According to White House officials, as of Monday, the U.S. had evacuated or facilitated the evacuation of 37,000 people since August 14, the day before the Taliban entered Kabul. Thousands more await departure at Kabul’s airport.

Many Afghan refugees are being temporarily relocated to military bases in Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin for asylum. Other countries have also vowed to take in Afghan refugees. To help alleviate the global refugee crisis, rental company Airbnb announced Tuesday that it would house up to 20,000 Afghan refugees worldwide for free or at a discounted rate.

“As tens of thousands of Afghan refugees resettle around the world, where they stay will be the first chapter in their new lives,” Brian Chesky, Airbnb’s CEO and co-founder, said in the news release. “For these 20,000 refugees, my hope is that the Airbnb community will provide them with not only a safe place to rest and start over but also a warm welcome home.”

The company and its nonprofit organization, Airbnb.org, announced that together they would provide temporary housing through contributions made to Airbnb.org from Airbnb, Chesky, and donors to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund. The company is working with resettlement agencies that are in touch with Afghan refugees to identify refugees in need.

“Airbnb and Airbnb.org recognize that the situation on the ground is fast evolving. Airbnb.org will closely collaborate with resettlement agencies and partners to go where the need goes and evolve this initiative and our support as necessary. In addition, given the tremendous need, Airbnb urges fellow members of the global business community to join efforts to provide immediate support to Afghan refugees.”

Contributions to the Refugee Fund have already gone to resettlement agencies, including the International Rescue Committee, to resettle at least 1,000 Afghan refugees. Over the past weekend, at least 165 refugees were placed in safe housing by Airbnb, the organization said, in properties in Sacramento, Northern Virginia, Cleveland, Dallas, Washington, and New Jersey.

“In this past week, it has become abundantly clear that the displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees here in the United States and elsewhere is a significant humanitarian crisis,” the company said in its announcement. “In the face of this need, our community is ready to once again step up.”

The announcement to house Afghan refugees follows similar programs by Airbnb that temporarily housed other communities during disasters. According to NPR, Airbnb and its nonprofit have provided housing to approximately 25,000 refugees within the last four years. It has housed people not only displaced by hurricanes, wildfires, and a mass shooting but, most recently, frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the organization did not specify precisely how much the company plans to spend on the commitment or how long the program will last, it announced plans for a $25 million refugee fund to expand its support of refugees and asylum-seekers further worldwide.

In addition to emphasizing the importance of helping refugees, Chesky urged others to “reach out” to him if they were interested in hosting a refugee family and pledged to connect them with the right people.

“While we will be paying for these stays, we could not do this without the generosity of our hosts,” Chesky said in the news release. “If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out, and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen.

“The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the U.S. and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up. I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There’s no time to waste.”

If you are an Airbnb Host or a guest eager to help Airbnb and Airbnb.org, visit this page to learn how to support this initiative.