St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children in Dorchester accepted the largest, single corporate gift in its history last week: Amazon donated $1 million to the organization that is housed in the old St. Margaret’s Hospital campus atop Jones Hill.

St. Mary’s has more than 100 employees and hundreds of volunteers who support more than 600 children and families providing them with emergency shelter, job and employment training, and educational, clinical and preventive services.

The funds will be used to build a Community Resource Center on its campus that will provide proactive support to those transitioning to permanent housing. With this new program and its staff, St. Mary’s will build on its cornerstones of educational advancement, economic stability, and emotional well-being for women, children and families who are living in poverty or have suffered great trauma.

“Everyone has a role in ending homelessness. Giving to St. Mary’s Center Today will change lives for generations to come,” said Deirdre Houtmeyers, the president and CEO of St. Mary’s during an fall festival event last Thursday (Oct. 12).

Amazon’s commitment to St. Mary’s expands upon their support of nonprofits that provide critical emergency services to women, children and families in need. Employees are also collecting donations from employees to give to St. Mary’s Center families. The match campaign will also enable further outreach into the community by providing additional preventive services, housing support and job training for those families edging towards homelessness.