MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, donates $4M to Tampa Bay nonprofits

Mar 21, 20242 min read

By Sara Filips

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The ex-wife of the Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos has made a generous donation to two nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area.

MacKenzie Scott established Yield Giving, which allows Scott and her team to identify and donate to organizations that work to advance opportunities for those in underserved communities.

The first Tampa organization that received a $2 million donation from Scott was the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa).

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The nonprofit offers opportunities for people to learn about economic prosperity, merging education about the workforce, housing, real estate and community safety. Since 1992, CDC has helped reduce disparities in the Tampa Bay area.

CDC of Tampa received the Yield Giving Open Call award, which is given to organizations with communities experiencing the most significant need in the nation.

The second organization to receive a donation was REACHUP, Inc., a nonprofit focused on advocating health equity resources for vulnerable communities. According to Yield Giving, this organization also focuses on maternal, perinatal, and public health.

WFLA.com has reached out to REACHUP and Yield Giving for comment but hasn’t received a response.

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In March 2024, Yield Giving received over 6,000 applications in their Open Call and allocated donations to 361 organizations around the U.S. for their “outstanding work advancing the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles.”

“Through Yield Giving, we can sustain our ability to offer efficient employment and certification training, while also expanding our services to include healthcare, IT, and environmental technologies,” CDC of Tampa’s President/CEO Ernest Coney, Jr. said. “The funding will also enable us to expand our capacity to offer a range of residential options to meet the housing affordability needs of the community. At CDC of Tampa, our goal is to create more than just homes, but rather a vibrant community where individuals can build their dreams, raise families, and establish roots.”

To see the full list of donations from Yield Giving, visit yieldgiving/gifts