Billionaire’s $20 million gift to a Florida United Way branch will have ‘ripple effect on millions’
United Way Suncoast, a charity that serves Manatee and Sarasota counties and all of Tampa Bay, has just received the largest donation in the organization’s history by way of a $20 million gift from MacKenzie Scott.
Scott, a novelist and philanthropist who was formerly married to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, has made headlines across the country this week as she announced charitable donations totaling $4.2 billion over the past four months.
United Way Suncoast leadership announced on
Wednesday that the donation will be used to further the organization’s initiatives to improve community health, education and economic equity. There will be a special focus on serving households that are above the federal poverty level but still struggling financially, according to the non-profit’s leadership.
“Ignited by the generosity of one selfless donor, this gift will have a ripple effect on millions,” said United Way Suncoast President and CEO Jessica Muroff in a press release. “It will allow us to work deeper in our communities, more powerfully leverage our great partnerships and, most importantly, build more pathways to success for families in our communities.”
The nonprofit’s board of directors will create an “implementation plan” in coming days to determine how the funds can be most effectively spent in its communities, according to United Way Suncoast.
The organization serves Manatee, Sarasota, Desoto, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.
“A gift of this magnitude will be life-changing for so many in the community,” said United Way Suncoast Chair Daniel Vigne in a press release. “And, through this, our communities will be healthier. Our students will have more success. Our families will have more earning potential. Our communities will see more equity.”
According to a post written by Scott on Medium this week, she consulted a team of advisors who used a “data-driven approach” to carefully select which charities and organizations should receive her donations. The donations are paid in full upon acceptance and come without stipulations, according to Scott.
In 2019, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a non-binding agreement between some of the world’s wealthiest people to give away most of their fortunes, either within their lifetimes or posthumously.
Scott has taken on the challenge at a rapid pace, giving at the same level as established philanthropic organizations like the Gates Foundation. And, according to the author, she’s not done yet. Scott said she is ”far from completing her pledge” and encouraged others to join her.
“If you’re craving a way to use your time, voice, or
money to help others at the end of this difficult year, I highly recommend a gift to one of the thousands of organizations doing remarkable work all across the country,” Scott wrote. “Every one of them could benefit from more resources to share with the communities they’re serving. And the hope you feed with your gift is likely to feed your own.”