Where was my invite to the — wait, what? Airbnb had a gala?

Airbnb’s nonprofit held its inaugural gala on Wednesday in Los Angeles, and the internet had one reaction — the what gala? 

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 would not say how much the gala tables went for, as the company said that the night was to its supporters and “marking the next chapter of our work,” the spokesperson said. 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.” 

Airbnb did not say if this would be a recurring event.

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.

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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