Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott in 2018, when they were still married.

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Evan Agostini / AP / SIPA

MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Jeff Bezos, recently made an exceptional donation of six billion dollars to several structures.

The beneficiaries are food banks, associations of aid to immigrants and universities in difficulty.

His donations have turned the world of philanthropy upside down, as the ex-wife of the CEO of Amazon did not place any restrictions or requirements on his contributions, unlike usual practices in the United States.

It left the organizations to judge the proper use of this money, freeing them from red tape.

Following up on the commitment I made last year to give away the majority of my wealth in my lifetime: https://t.co/Ocb8eU5UR1.

(Note my Medium account is under my new last name - changed back to middle name I grew up with, after my grandfather Scott.)

- MacKenzie Scott (@mackenziescott) July 28, 2020

Inequalities worsened in the United States

This approach is part of a movement of "philanthropy based on trust" according to Laura MacDonald, president of the Giving USA Foundation, an NGO specializing in philanthropic giving.

“This can encourage other donors (…) to take more risks,” added the specialist.

MacKenzie Scott's gigantic donation was made in December to 384 different associations.

“This pandemic has demolished the lives of Americans who were already struggling,” she wrote.

The economic losses and the medical consequences have been more severe for women, people of color and those living in poverty.

During this time, it dramatically increased the wealth of billionaires.

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A philanthropist at heart

For charities, MacKenzie Scott's initiative should inspire other billionaires - including her ex-husband - to follow suit.

"I hope the amount of money she is putting on the table and her intention to continue to do so will kick the butt of everyone who is sitting on enormous wealth," said the chairman of the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

Since her divorce, MacKenzie Scott has owned an estimated $ 58 billion stake in Amazon.

It is committed to a large part of its heritage in the fight against social inequalities.

It announced subsidies of approximately $ 1.7 billion in July and then $ 4.2 billion in December.

She further hired advisers to help her identify organizations that support the weakest.

These organizations "have dedicated their existence to helping others, to work and to volunteer, face-to-face and day-to-day, at the table or at the bedside of real individuals," says the 50-year-old philanthropist. in an article on Medium.

Jeff Bezos a little less generous

His approach contrasts with that of Jeff Bezos.

The CEO of Amazon recently made a massive $ 10 billion donation to the fight against climate change, but his stakes are slower and proportionately leaner given his fortune.

For Benjamin Soskis, researcher specializing in philanthropy, MacKenzie Scott's initiatives are remarkable not only for their scale but also for the speed at which funds are released.

"She insisted on giving the money and staying away," said the researcher, while "philanthropists often see themselves as part of the process, with multiple checks and evaluations which can be very onerous".

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