$5M gift for United Way
Philanthropist Scott makes donation to Capital Region chapter
Mackenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who pledged to give away $4 billion of her fortune, has donated $5 million to The United Way of the Greater Capital Region.
The donation is the largest single contribution the nonprofit has received.
President and CEO Peter Gannon called the gift transformative and will allow the organization to “think strategically about the social impact we want to have.
“It will elevate our ability to advance the well-being of all people in our community while addressing the urgent needs of our community,” Gannon said. “That’s our sweet spot.”
Gannon, whose organization fights for the health, education and financial stability for those in need, said it’s an honor to be recognized by Scott in a difficult year in which his organization is offering emergency relief to those affected by COVID -19.
“This donation will help us drive innovative solutions to deep-rooted social issues and advance community well-being for years to come,” Gannon said.
Scott, an author and philanthropist, gave away $1.6 billion in July to 116 charitable organizations that support social causes. Her latest round of giving included 384 nonprofits including the Capital District YMCA and the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region.
At this time, is it unclear how much these organizations received.
Starletta Smith, the executive director of the YWCA in Troy, said she can’t disclose the amount as it might threaten other funding sources. However, she said, it is the YWCA’S largest donation ever and the money will go toward eliminating racism and empowering women “by promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.”
“It’s going to go to the unique, cutting edge services that positively impact the lives we touch in our community,” Smith said. “We want to expand and enhance those services. We have been looking into funding a diversity program. .... With this, we can now do that.”
Scott, in a blog post, said that she wants to give away half of her wealth because “in my mind ... anyone’s personal wealth is a product of a collective effort, and of social structures which present opportunities to some people, and obstacles to countless others.”
Gannon said he’s not sure how Scott came to recognize the work United Way, located in Albany, calling it “shrouded in mystery.”
However, in Scott’s announcement, she said “these 384 carefully selected teams have dedicated their lives to helping others, working and volunteering and serving real people face to face at bedsides and tables, in prisons
and courtrooms and classrooms, on streets and hospital wards and hotlines and frontlines of all types and sizes, day after day after day. They help by delivering vital services, and also through the profound encouragement felt each time a person is seen, valued and trusted by another human being.”
Gannon is grateful for Scott’s generosity that will help the organization leverage more support for its work, which he said he hopes will help the United Way to get to the root causes of systemic poverty and racism; and come up with creative solutions to racial justice and equity.
“It validates what we are trying to do, the efforts of our team, our partners, the community,” Gannon said. “We have substantial gift and will inspire the philanthropic nature of our community to re-imagine what the Capital Region can be for every resident of our community.”