MacKenzie Scott Donates $10 Million To Treasure Valley Family YMCA

Ten million dollars. For most folks that dollar amount is hard to quantify. The likelihood that one will ever personally acquire that amount of money is slim. But there's no doubt that ten million dollars in the right hands can do a world of good for a community. MacKenzie Scott knows this practically, as she's acquired a ridiculous amount of wealth and has already set to work in using it for good. In stark contrast to her famous ex husband, Jeff Bezos, Scott is using her fortune to fund organizations who are already doing a world of good without a fortune.

In a blog post on December 15th, 2020, the self described mom/provider/advocate detailed her motivations for giving and how and why she and her team chose the 384 organizations to which she has gifted over 4 billion dollars. In part, she writes:

"These 384 carefully selected teams have dedicated their lives to helping others, working and volunteering and serving real people face-to-face at bedsides and tables, in prisons and courtrooms and classrooms, on streets and hospital wards and hotlines and frontlines of all types and sizes, day after day after day. They help by delivering vital services, and also through the profound encouragement felt each time a person is seen, valued, and trusted by another human being. This kind of encouragement has a special power when it comes from a stranger, and it works its magic on everyone."

Among the recipients, our very own Treasure Valley Family YMCA. David Duro, President and CEO, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the organization in a press release stating, "With everything that we've experienced: the blow from the pandemic, the loss in our earned revenue, and also the YMCA's inability to qualify for the PPP (Paycheck Protection) program, this is an amazing gift at the right time that will allow us to sustain and magnify our work."

He further explains, "Members of the YMCA Board of Directors and staff will be meeting to decide how to best use the gift to meet short term needs and long terms goals...The gift will help the Y continue to offer programs that nurture youth, engage people in healthy living and inspire a commitment to social responsibility while making sure that no one is turned away due to the inability to pay."

I don't know about you, but that's the type of good news I love to see, especially in 2020. I'm wildly excited to see all the amazing things that will stem from this generous gift. Cheers to that!