MacKenzie Scott has donated over $19 billion since 2020, primarily through her philanthropic platform Yield Giving, despite still holding significant Amazon shares that have increased her net worth to over $35 billion. Her donations focus on education, DEI, and disaster recovery, and she employs a unique, unrestricted giving style that empowers organizations to use funds flexibly. Her philanthropy stands out compared to Jeff Bezos, who has donated a smaller percentage of his wealth.
Jeff Bezos sold over 13 million Amazon shares worth approximately $5.7 billion around his wedding date, primarily through a pre-planned SEC Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, while maintaining a significant stake in Amazon. The sales, which coincided with his wedding, were partly for wealth accumulation and partly for philanthropy, as Bezos has contributed shares to non-profit organizations. Despite the large selloff, Bezos still owns about 884 million Amazon shares, making him one of the wealthiest individuals globally.
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has sold another 11% of her Amazon shares, worth over $8 billion, continuing her rapid pace of charitable giving. Since her 2019 divorce from Jeff Bezos, Scott has disposed of two-thirds of her Amazon shares, donating at least $17.3 billion to over 2,300 nonprofits. Her unique approach involves unrestricted cash grants to small nonprofits, often exceeding their annual budgets, and she allows recipients to decide on publicizing the gifts. Scott's net worth is now estimated at $30 billion, down from a peak of $59 billion in 2021.
