$4.2B of Philanthropy

[minzy]

I found this interesting. Mackenzie Scott is the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos (of Amazon), and in the last few months, she’s given away $4.2 billion to 384 charities. She explains why she decided to do that, and how her team picked the charities it did. The recipient charities are also listed.

mackenzie-scott.medium.com/384-ways-to-help-45d0b9ac6ad8

[fryjack2]

That amount of giving is incredible. In many ways including that someone has that much money in the first place, that it was given away, and that she will never even notice it gone.

[raangoli]

I love this so much. But I what I would love even more of Jeff Bezos did the same. MH and konapoppy can vouch for the number of times I marvel over why one person needs so much wealth when it comes to Jeff.

(I fully admit my addiction to Whole Foods curbside pick up, reading of the Washington Post, and use of Amazon for photo storage is adding to his wealth on the tiniest of scales.)

[RockNVoll]

I didn't read her post, but there's another article that talked about the fact that despite her tremendous giving and the high rate of speed in getting funds distributed ($4b in 4 months!), she's still getting richer faster than she can give it away. I forget the exact figures but it was something crazy like in that same time frame the value of her Amazon stock went up by $20b+.

[samanthamkm]

I'm disappointed she gave to Goodwill Industries. I hope they use the money for the people they help instead of to top management.

[Pom]

I applaud her giving. I do. But. I hope Elizabeth Warren can assist the new administration in adjusting wealth taxation, because with wealth at this level and even far below, relying on all of them to do the right thing, is not helpful with the disparities in this country.

[konapoppy]

Dec 18, 2020 16:39:50 GMT -5 Pom said:

I applaud her giving. I do. But. I hope Elizabeth Warren can assist the new administration in adjusting wealth taxation, because with wealth at this level and even far below, relying on all of them to do the right thing, is not helpful with the disparities in this country.

It is bonkers.

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[imojoebunny]

I am glad to see someone with that much money giving to schools that serve the Gen Pop. I think it sets a good example, over giving to get pomp and circumstance that giving to elite and big football schools. I hope that we can solve the health insurance issue, which I think is a big creater of the inability of people to move out of low wage jobs, and save for the future, become entrepreneurs, and take on new opportunities. . The average health insurance spend in the US is $3K a year, but the average cost for private health insurance, is significantly more, 2.5X that for us, or $30K a year for a family of 4, before deductible, which is less than what many of our friends pay.

[goldengirlz]

Dec 18, 2020 16:39:50 GMT -5 Pom said:

I applaud her giving. I do. But. I hope Elizabeth Warren can assist the new administration in adjusting wealth taxation, because with wealth at this level and even far below, relying on all of them to do the right thing, is not helpful with the disparities in this country.

100% this. Right now the ultra wealthy get to decide what our financial priorities should be in this country. And I’m not sure that’s a better deal for the 99% than a more equitable taxation of wealth. (And it also gets to the point samanthamkm raises. It’s great that community organizations are getting help, but state and federal coffers also need that money for things like Medicaid, unemployment, Social Security, and on and on and on.)

[Poppy]

I do revel in the fact that it makes Jeff look so bad.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Woohoo to her donations to HBCUs! I love her energy. Shaming the absolute shit out of her ex-husband by saying nothing about him while doing good for the world. A master class.

[10nille]

I would rather donate my money to causes I choose, just as she has done (granted on a much smaller scale, lol), than to be taxed by the government and letting them decide what programs to fund. Good for her to spend her money on her choices.