Words by Smiley Team
When MacKenzie Scott and her ex-husband, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, divorced in May 2019, Scott received 25 per cent of Bezos’ stake in Amazon, equivalent to four per cent of the company.
That means that Scott’s wealth now totals $56.3bn - and she’s vowed to give the majority of it away.
Since the settlement was agreed Scott has become one of the world's leading philanthropists, and working with a close team of advisors she has donated billions of dollars to good causes around the world.
Scott acts quickly and decisively, and has promised not to stop ‘until the safe is empty’.
By the end of 2020 she had donated almost $5.8bn to 384 organisations across all US States and Puerto Rico, with a focus on food insecurity, racial inequity and decreasing poverty.
Scott, who is the world's 22nd richest person, remarried Seattle-based science teacher Dan Jewett in March 2021, and the pair have both signed the Giving Pledge, an organisation that supports the ultra wealthy to give away their fortunes.
In her pledge Scott said: “We each come by the gifts we have to offer by an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand.
“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.”
In his pledge her husband added: “It is strange to be writing a letter indicating I plan to give away the majority of my wealth during my lifetime, as I have never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have particular meaning.
“But now in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know—and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.”
Organisations who have benefited from Scott’s philanthropy include Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee County, in Florida. They received a $4m donation from Scott, and Maribeth Phillips, president and CEO of the organisation said: “We are honored that our work feeding people in our community during these unimaginable times inspired Ms. Scott’s donation.
“This transformational gift is instrumental in achieving our strategic plan, and we are deeply grateful.”
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