Latest news with #MacKenzieScott
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
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The Most Generous Billionaire: How MacKenzie Scott Is Changing Philanthropy
MacKenzie Scott, the novelist-turned-philanthropist, became one of the world's richest women after her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, receiving around $36 billion in Amazon stock. But instead of building a flashy empire, Scott took a radically different path — one that's redefining what it means to be a billionaire. She pledged to give away at least half her fortune and quickly began making historic donations. Read More: Find Out: Since then, Scott has donated more than $17 billion to over 2,000 nonprofit organizations, with a focus on causes such as social justice, education, and economic equity. Her giving is not only generous but also strategic, designed to empower marginalized communities and support long-term change. The impact of her donations has been described as transformational. In 2024 alone, she contributed $2 billion, continuing her trust-based approach with no strings attached. Her model prioritizes speed, flexibility, and impact, helping nonprofits advance their missions without the delays or restrictions that often accompany major funding. A Quiet But Bold Approach To Giving Unlike many high-profile philanthropists, Scott rarely seeks the spotlight. Her donations are large and come without naming rights, public recognition, or complex application processes. Instead, she and her small team proactively identify nonprofits — often led by women, people of color, and grassroots leaders — that are typically overlooked by traditional funders. They then issue large, unrestricted grants, giving recipients the freedom to use funds as they see fit. In a 2020 blog post announcing $1.7 billion in donations, Scott wrote that her giving is guided by a belief that 'people who have experience with inequities are the ones best equipped to design solutions.' That conviction underpins her entire philanthropic strategy. Discover Next: How Her Philanthropy Stands Out Scott's giving style breaks nearly every mold of traditional philanthropy. She moves quickly, sidestepping the bureaucracy of legacy foundations. Instead of building a large institution, she works through a donor-advised fund and a lean, data-driven team. Her donations are also enormous in scale. In one round in 2021, she gave away about $2.74 billion to 286 organizations, which is more than many foundations distribute over a decade. Most importantly, her trust-based approach allows nonprofits to invest in long-term planning, infrastructure, and community-led solutions. Research shows this kind of unrestricted funding improves organizational resilience and multiplies impact. What Drives Her Extraordinary Generosity Scott's unprecedented level of giving is rooted in personal conviction, empathy and a deep sense of moral responsibility. She has consistently acknowledged the privilege of her wealth and the obligation she feels to redistribute it. In her Giving Pledge letter, MacKenzie Scott expressed a clear and unwavering commitment to philanthropy, writing that she would 'keep at it until the safe is empty.' That statement underscores her intent not just to give generously, but to do so urgently and consistently and with urgency, reflecting a lifelong dedication to using her wealth as a tool for broad and lasting impact. Scott's background as a novelist has also shaped her philanthropic lens. With a foundation in literature and storytelling, she brings a human-centered perspective to her giving. She blends data with compassion, prioritizing lived experience over metrics and supporting those most directly affected by inequality. This people-first mindset stands in contrast to the more analytical approach often seen among tech and business leaders. Moreover, Scott operates with a moral clarity that drives her to support underrepresented communities. She has committed significant unrestricted support to nonprofits led by women, people of color, and grassroots leaders, aiming not only to help but to shift power dynamics and bolster systemic equity. Changing the Billionaire Playbook In an age where inequality is rising and social challenges are urgent, Scott's model feels refreshingly direct and arguably more effective. Her model prioritizes speed, flexibility and autonomy — a stark contrast to many billionaire philanthropists who often spend years debating how or whether to give and building legacy foundations weighed down by bureaucracy. Scott is quietly distributing her wealth at an unprecedented pace. Her generosity has already transformed thousands of lives, and over time, it may reshape how the world's wealthiest view their responsibility to society. More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 The 5 Car Brands Named the Least Reliable of 2025 How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region This article originally appeared on The Most Generous Billionaire: How MacKenzie Scott Is Changing Philanthropy Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeff Bezos' Kids Made a Low-Key Appearance After They Weren't Seen at His Wedding to Lauren Sanchez
Insiders have an update on Jeff Bezos' rarely seen kids after no photos of them attending his wedding to Lauren Sánchez emerged. Bezos shares four children with ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, but his three sons and daughter were nowhere to be seen at his high-profile wedding to Sánchez on June 27. However, the Daily Mail reports that not only did Bezos' kids attend and play a role in his wedding, they've also joined their dad and stepmom on their honeymoon. More from SheKnows Jeff Bezos' Children: All About His 4 Kids With Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott An insider told the Daily Mail that 'all the kids gave speeches' after Bezos and Sánchez's wedding ceremony in Venice, Italy. That includes Bezos' children and Sánchez's three kids, 24-year-old son Nikko and 19-year-old son Evan, who walked her down the aisle, as well as 17-year-old daughter Ella, who was her mom's maid of honor. Bezos' kids are famously very private, and only the name of his oldest son, 25-year-old Preston, is public. His two younger sons and daughter, whom he and Scott adopted from China, stay entirely out of the public eye. The Daily Mail also reports that Bezos and Sánchez's seven children also joined them on their honeymoon, which has so far consisted of an extended stay in Italy followed by a trip on the Amazon founder's yacht to the coast of Croatia. 'They are just hanging out on jetskis and swimming and sunbathing,' a source said. 'It's not a honeymoon really, they aren't going away just the two of them. They are relaxing and recovering from the wedding with some family time.' Just like their star-studded wedding, which welcomed guests from Kim Kardashian to Queen Rania of Jordan, their honeymoon also has some celebrity attendees. Page Six nabbed photos of Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, with their daughter Daisy, joining Bezos and Sánchez aboard their yacht days after confirming their breakup. Bloom attended Bezos and Sánchez's wedding while Perry, who is close friends with the bride, was on of SheKnows Amber Heard's Entire Dating History: Johnny Depp, Elon Musk, & More 11 of Prince William & Kate Middleton's Biggest Relationship Controversies 13 Celebrities Who Secretly Welcomed Children During Affairs
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Jeff Bezos' Kids Really Feel About Lauren Sánchez as Rumors Resurface He Cheated With Her on Their Mom
Jeff Bezos prefers to keep his family life private. The Amazon founder is a proud father to four kids and a proud stepfather to three more after his union with former journalist Lauren Sánchez. More from StyleCaster Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez's Wedding Accused of Copying William & Kate's Ceremony After Reports Meghan Was 'Seething' to Not Be Invited Jeff Bezos Made a Secret Change to His Finances Weeks Before Signing an Iron-Clad Prenup With Lauren Sanchez The Real Reason Eva Longoria Didn't Attend BFF Lauren Sanchez's Wedding to Jeff Bezos After Accusing Their Other Guest's Family of 'Spewing Hate' Jeff Bezos has three kids with his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott. The couple divorced in 2019, noting when it was finalized that they were 'looking forward to next phase as co-parents and friends.' The National Enquirer reported that Jeff Bezos had allegedly cheated on Mackenzie with his now-wife Lauren Sá the billionaire denied the allegations in the book Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire. 'The story is completely wrong and out of order. MacKenzie and I have had good, healthy adult conversations about it,' he told executives. 'She is fine. The kids are fine. The media is having a field day. All of this is very distracting, so thank you for being focused on the business.' In the years following up to their wedding, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have maintained that they make their blended family work. 'On a typical Saturday, we hang out, we have dinner with the kids, which is always fun because you never know where the conversation is going to go with this many kids,' Sánchez told WSJ Magazine in January 2023. 'We are the Brady Bunch!' Other sources have vouched for their family dynamics. 'They've been together four years now, so their families are really blended at this point,' a source told PEOPLE in 2021. 'Their families are very close.' Take a look at Jeff Bezos' kids and Lauren Sánchez's kids, as well, below. Preston Bezos is the eldest child of Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott. He's named after the Amazon founder's middle name. The name has been passed down for generations, with Jeff's great-grandfather holding the name. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Mackenzie are parents to two younger sons. There aren't any details of the two sons as the parents keep their details private. Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott adopted their daughter from China. Like her brothers, details of her life remain private. Nikko Gonzalez is Lauren Sánchez's first son with her ex-boyfriend former NFL player Tony Gonzalez. She gave birth to him in 2001. He walked his mom down the aisle during her wedding to Jeff Bezos. Evan Whitesell is Lauren Sánchez's second child and first child with her husband, Patrick Whitesell. He was born in 2006. He walked down his mother down the aisle during her wedding to Jeff Bezos. Ella Whitesell is Lauren Sánchez's youngest daughter with Patrick Whitesell. She was born in 2006 and also walked down her mother down the aisle as the maid of honor. Best of StyleCaster The 26 Best Romantic Comedies to Watch if You Want to Know What Love Feels Like These 'Bachelor' Secrets & Rules Prove What Happens Behind the Scenes Is So Much Juicier BTS's 7 Members Were Discovered in the Most Unconventional Ways
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MacKenzie Scott's Instagram Comments Are Dragging Her Into the Jeff Bezos Wedding Drama
It's a good day to be MacKenzie Scott as criticisms of her ex-husband Jeff Bezos and his opulent wedding have spun into a wave of support for her philanthropy. Scott did not attend Bezos' star-studded wedding to his second wife, Lauren Sánchez, on June 27. Nor has she publicly commented on the event, which ignited protests in Venice as the Amazon founder and his guests descended upon the Italian city. However, that hasn't stopped her from being associated with the controversial nuptials. More from SheKnows 25 of the Most Expensive Celebrity Weddings of All Time The notoriously private author has only one post on her verified Instagram account, a photo of herself, which was shared in October 2020 with no caption. Yet, her comments section has erupted as social media users, some real, some fake, flock to acknowledge Scott's use of her wealth, which radically opposes her ex-husband's. 'You'll probably never read this but… thank you for being such a classy, kind, and generous human being,' one such comment reads, likely referencing staggering charitable donations in the years since her divorce from Bezos (Scott has donated $19.2 billion since 2019, according to a December report from AP News). Scott also got a shoutout from actress Mia Farrow the day after Sánchez married Bezos in a Dolce & Gabbana look estimated to be worth upwards of $200,000. 'How awesome is MacKenzie Scott!' the Rosemary's Baby actress wrote in a caption noting Scott's philanthropic efforts, a thinly-veiled jab at Bezos, which was supported by other celebrities, including Olivia Munn. Scott, who shares four children with Bezos, married the famed entrepreneur in 1993, a year before Amazon was founded. She was one of the online store's first employees, building it from the ground up while raising her young family with Bezos. In 2019, after reports accused Bezos of having an affair with Sánchez, the couple dissolved their marriage in one of the most expensive divorces in history. Scott walked away with $35.6 billion in Amazon stock, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. The exes appeared to remain amicable. 'If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again,' their statement announcing their divorce read. Since then, Scott has done her best to prove that their divorce was never about the money, giving away hefty sums of money in no-strings-attached donations. 'The scale of this giving has really not just changed individual organizations but changed entire fields like affordable housing,' one of Scott's recipients, Shaun Donovan, CEO of the affordable housing organization Enterprise Community Partners, told AP. Scott rarely comments on her philanthropy and most certainly does not comment on her ex-husband, but her supporters would happily declare that she is definitely showing him up as far as giving back to society is of SheKnows A Look Back At Lindsay Lohan's Long-Term Relationships Over the Years All the Best Fashion Moments from Lindsay Lohan's Acting Comeback 7 Epic Ways Margot Robbie Has Celebrated Her Birthday Over The Years — From 24-Hour Parties To Her Barbie-Themed Bash
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lauren Sánchez Is Unrecognizable in Photo 20 Years Before Jeff Bezos Wedding
Lauren Sánchez Is Unrecognizable in Photo 20 Years Before Jeff Bezos Wedding originally appeared on Parade. is nearly unrecognizable in a photo taken 20 years before her over-the-top wedding with . On July 27, 2025, the journalist, 55, and Amazon founder, 61, said "I do" during a star-studded wedding ceremony in Venice, Italy. The three-day celebration included guests like , , , Orlando Bloom, , , Mick Jagger and more. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Sánchez looked absolutely stunning in photos she shared on Instagram of her rocking a white dress with long, lace sleeves and a long train on her big day. However, the new Mrs. Bezos looked very different more than 20 years ago. Check out what Sánchez looked like in January 2003 when she attended the "Dreamkeeper" ABC All-Star Winter Party at Quixote Studios in Los Angeles, Calif. The snap was taken before Sánchez married Patrick Whitesell in 2005; their marriage ended in 2019. During their relationship, Sánchez and Whitesell welcomed two kids, Evan and Ella Whitesell. She also shares a son, Nikko Gonzalez, with her ex, Tony Gonzalez. Meanwhile, Bezos shares three sons and one daughter with his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott. Next: Lauren Sánchez Is Unrecognizable in Photo 20 Years Before Jeff Bezos Wedding first appeared on Parade on Jul 1, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
