MacKenzie Scott is making headlines for the incredible rate at which she is donating her sizable wealth. One of the wealthiest people in the country, she has given away nearly $6 billion this year. Of this, a whopping $4.15 billion was given away in about four months. And, according to an article she posted recently, Scott is looking to donate even more.
In an article posted on Medium, MacKenzie Scott explained that as the COVID-19 pandemic gained speed in the US, she had asked a team of advisors to help accelerate her 2020 giving to support those reeling under the economic effects of the crisis. "The result over the last four months has been $4,158,500,000 in gifts to 384 organizations across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C," she writes.
The organisations span a wide range - from food banks, emergency relief funds, and support services to those addressing "long-term systemic inequities that have been deepened by the crisis".
In 2019, Scott had pledged to give away most of her wealth. And while this might seem a daunting task when someone has a personal net worth of more than $60 billion, she certainly appears to have taken to it with aplomb. Married to Amazon Chief Jeff Bezos till 2019, a significant part of her wealth comes from her divorce settlement.
"In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty," she had pledged in 2019.
