Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donates $10M to YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit

DETROIT – Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $10 million to the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit.

“I was stunned, and tell you the truth -- I was at a loss for words,” President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit Helene Weir said.

Scott was part of Amazon’s founding and the company’s first accountant. She divorced Jeff Bezos in 2019 and pledged to donate much of her wealth in her lifetime. She’s focused on organizations that serve basic needs and groups tackling systemic inequities affecting marginalized people.

The YMCA in Detroit plans to use the donation for health and wellness programs. It will also use the money for outreach for families and kids.

Because of COVID-19, the YMCA had to furlough most of its staff and saw a significant drop in donations.

The YMCA is now looking for feedback and suggestions and how to best utilize the donation. They expect to reveal their plans by March.

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