Five years have passed since MacKenzie Scott became one of the wealthiest individuals worldwide following her divorce from Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.Back in 2019, their divorce garnered significant attention as Scott became the fourth richest woman globally, acquiring a four percent stake in Amazon valued at approximately $38 billion at the time.
Following the divorce, Scott announced her commitment to the Giving Pledge, an initiative urging the world’s wealthiest individuals to donate at least half of their fortunes to charity. This initiative was launched by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Since then, Scott, now 54, has reportedly donated $19.2 billion to various charitable causes. Despite these significant contributions, according to Forbes’ rich list, her net worth remains at $32.3 billion, although it once peaked at $53 billion when Amazon shares saw a surge.
In a post on her blog, Yield Giving, Scott shared: “I love words, and this year this one has been on my mind a lot. It’s another one that seems to have undergone a kind of semantic shrivelling.”
“On the list of its big, beautiful, original definitions? To devote resources for a useful purpose. To endow with rights. To clothe.”
She detailed how she had provided updates on the $2,004,400,000 she contributed to 199 organizations over the past year.
Among the organizations receiving donations, Enterprise Community Partners received the largest sum of disclosed funds.
A description of the organization stated: “Our mission is to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging. We focus on the greatest need, the massive shortage of affordable rental homes, to 1) increase the supply of affordable homes, 2) advance racial equity and 3) build resilient communities and ensure upward mobility for all.”
Enterprise Community Partners received $65 million, following an earlier $50 million donation in 2020, bringing the total to $115 million.
Additionally, Scott contributed $50 million to Undue Medical Debt (formerly known as RIP Medical Debt), after donating $30 million in 2022 and $50 million in 2020, resulting in a total of $130 million over four years.
Scott further elaborated on her blog: “Roughly 75% of them are non-profits that support the economic security and opportunity of people who are struggling by improving access to affordable housing, jobs that provide stability for themselves and their families, child development and post-secondary education, healthcare, and financial counseling, business coaching, and low-interest rate loans focused on increasing economic potential and building wealth.”
“The others support well-being through other means, such as work on human rights and natural resources conservation.”
In contrast, Scott’s former spouse Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is estimated at $242.3 billion by Forbes, has donated around $3 billion, which is slightly more than one percent of his wealth.
Nonetheless, Bezos has committed to donating $10 billion by 2030 to The Bezos Earth Fund, dedicated to combating climate change and preserving nature
