Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott continues to spread her wealth -- her latest donation will benefit thousands of burgeoning Girl Scouts.
Her generosity is an $84.5 million donation to the Girl Scouts of the USA.
The announcement on Tuesday is the largest individual donation from a single individual in the 110-year-old organization’s history.
The funds will be given to the national non-profit organization and 29 local councils chosen by Scott for projects that will help girls and young women "become the next generation of powerful women leaders," the group said.
Part of the donation will go towards increasing equality in communities that are under engaged, including "diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial justice (DEI/RJ) initiatives; reimagining the troop experience model to break down accessibility barriers; and partnering with families and communities to holistically support the well-being and development of all girls," the Girl Scouts said.
“We are so appreciative of MacKenzie Scott’s gift to Girl Scouts. This is a great accelerator for our ongoing efforts to help girls cultivate the skills and connections needed to lead in their own communities and globally,” said Sofia Chang, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. “The support from all our donors, including this generous donation from Ms. Scott, is critical in delivering on our work of reimagination and transformation. We’re excited to prove how Ms. Scott’s investment in girls will change the world—because when one girl succeeds, we all succeed.”
The ex-wife of Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos is a major individual shareholder of the e-commerce giant and is ranked number 41 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Scott's net worth is $28.4 billion as of Oct. 18, an increase of $753 million.
She has already donated over $12 billion to various nonprofit organizations since her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019.
Scott's Philanthropy Strategy
Scott has not only revolutionized the male-dominated world of philanthropy, she has spread her net worth by giving to causes that are important to her. She has not sought any recognition and has not established a foundation bearing her name.
She is part of a newer generation of philanthropists who are giving away a portion of their net wealth while they are alive instead of passing it onto their heirs or leaving money in their wills.
In 2019, Scott and Bezos, founder of Amazon, announced an amicable divorce after 25 years of marriage, marked by the transfer of 4% of the Seattle tech and e-commerce giant to Scott.
Scott has chosen to stay under the spotlight during the past three years and only communicates her thoughts through posts on Medium.com, which explain her strategy of donating a large percentage of her fortune now.
"I asked a team of advisors to help me accelerate my 2020 giving through immediate support to people suffering the economic effects of the crisis," Scott wrote in December 2020.
"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. Some are filling basic needs: food banks, emergency relief funds, and support services for those most vulnerable."
She is the author of two novels and the recipient of an American Book Award.
Scott filed for divorce from her second husband, Seattle school teacher Dan Jewett, in September 2022.
