Gov. Greg Abbott thanked the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation for a gift of $4.9 million – the equivalent of what the state paid IKEA workers in Texas who had been furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IKEA Retail U.S. President Javier Quiñones wrote a letter to Abbott in which he said the company’s stores in Texas have reopened.

“We are appreciative of the ongoing support from the state of Texas including the unemployment funds paid to our co-workers who were furloughed in the early weeks of the pandemic,” Quiñones said. “People are the heart of our business, and the state unemployment benefits helped our co-workers during a difficult time. We now have a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on our business, and we’ve decided to 'pay it forward' in our local communities.”

Abbott expressed gratitude to IKEA.

"The State of Texas is grateful to IKEA and the IKEA U.S. Community Foundation for their commitment to Texas employees," Abbott said. "IKEA has shown that it is not only an important part of the Texas economy, but a valued member of the communities in which its employees live and work. Thank you to IKEA for this generous gift to the people of Texas, and I look forward to our continued partnership."