Oyogist.com has learned that MacKenzie Scott, the philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has given $2.7 billion to a variety of charities.
This is bringing her total donations since her first giving spree in July 2020 to $8.5 billion though this is her first time announcing donations since she remarried to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher.
Shortly after her 2019 divorce, which left her with $35.6 billion in Amazon stock and a personal net worth of almost $60 billion bringing her to the 22nd richest person in the world, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a promise to give away most of one’s fortune.
In a blog post on Medium, the billionaire said she donated to 286 “high-impact organisations in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked.”This includes funding higher education for students who come from chronically underserved communities, arts and cultural institutions, and other non-profits that focus on community engagement.
People struggling against inequities deserve centre stage in stories about change they are creating. This is equally—perhaps especially—true when their work is funded by wealth. Any wealth is a product of a collective effort that included them. The social structures that inflate wealth present obstacles to them. And despite those obstacles, they are providing solutions that benefit us all,” she wrote.
According to the Medium post, Scott made it clear that she trusts these beneficiaries to use her money in any way they see fit.
“Because we believe that teams with experience on the front lines of challenges will know best how to put the money to good use, we encouraged them to spend it however they choose,” she wrote.
“Many reported that this trust significantly increased the impact of the gift… It empowers receivers by making them feel valued and by unlocking their best solutions.”
