Online lodging provider Airbnb said Tuesday it is doubling its free temporary housing program for Afghan refugees to 40,000 after successfully finding accommodations for 20,000 people so far.

The San Francisco-based company said it is making the further commitment after Airbnb hosts, working in conjunction with an array of charities, reached their initial, six-month target of providing free or reduced-rate housing for 20,000 people fleeing the takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban forces.

"Due to the generosity of our Hosts and donors to Airbnb.org, and the dedication of our nonprofit partners helping to drive this important work, we've been able to surpass our original goal," CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky said in a statement.

Now Airbnb "will continue to be a crucial resource for newly arriving Afghans as well as other newcomers, with the goal of providing housing to another 20,000 refugees," he said.

Throughout the effort the company and its nonprofit arm, Airbnb.org, have worked closely with the U.S. government's resettlement agencies and American charitable partners such as the International Rescue Committee, Church World Service and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.

International organizations involved in the effort include the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, Britain's Refugee Action and Amnesty International Ireland.

"With the crisis in Afghanistan rapidly escalating, the International Rescue Committee is responding to meet the needs of Afghans seeking refuge in new communities across the U.S. and around the world," the group's president and CEO. David Miliband, said in a release. "Airbnb.org is stepping up to help with one of the most urgent needs -- providing temporary, accessible housing."

Copyright 2022 United Press International, Inc. (UPI). Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent., source US Top News