Mackenzie Scott: how she is changing the world by sharing her billions
27 june 2025 в 19:13
Mackenzie Scott is not just one of the richest women in the world — she is redefining the concept of philanthropy. Since her famous divorce in 2019 from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Scott has quietly donated over $ 19 billion to thousands of organizations fighting issues such as racial equality, education, and women’s rights. In 2021, she surprised many by marrying Seattle science teacher Dan Jewett, but the marriage ended quietly with a final divorce in early 2023.
Not stopping there, Scott has only accelerated her philanthropy. In late 2024, she announced over $ 2 billion in new unrestricted grants, and she is exploring mission-driven investments beyond traditional non-profit organizations. Continuing to reshape modern philanthropy, Scott’s bold and swift approach sets a new standard for how billionaires can use their wealth for good.
According to Forbes, with an estimated net worth of around $ 31 billion by 2025, Scott is among the top ten richest women in the world.
At one point, she was also one of the 25 richest people overall, and much of her wealth comes from her divorce from Bezos. The couple, who married without a prenuptial agreement in 1993, divided their assets during the divorce in 2019, leaving Scott with 25% of Amazon shares — instantly making her one of the richest women in the world.
But giving away her fortune has become Scott’s main mission. Since the divorce, she has become one of the most prolific philanthropists in history, donating over $ 19 billion to thousands of organizations worldwide. In her latest major round of donations announced in December 2024, she allocated over $ 2 billion in unrestricted grants to nearly 200 non-profit organizations.
In 2020, she revealed in a post on Medium that she had donated $ 4.2 billion to 384 organizations, including food banks like Meals on Wheels, in the past four months. «This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans who are already struggling», - she wrote. «The economic losses and health outcomes have been worse for women, people of color, and people living in poverty. At the same time, it has substantially increased the wealth of billionaires».
Scott and Bezos are raising four children together: three sons and one daughter they adopted from China. Their eldest son, Preston (born in 2000), is the only child who has been publicly identified, while the names and details of their other children have been kept private.
Scott is a talented writer, having written two books: «The Testing of Luther Albright» (2005) and «Traps» (2013). Her debut novel, «The Testing of Luther Albright», - won the American Book Award and took nearly ten years to complete. Bezos told Vogue in 2013 that he remembers waking up during vacations and seeing Scott writing in the hotel bathroom, as she prioritized her young children over her writing schedule.
In 2014, Scott founded Bystander Revolution, an organization dedicated to combating bullying by empowering people to take simple actions to reduce bullying and promote kindness. As executive director, Scott oversees the creation of a website with hundreds of unscripted videos featuring students, experts, and celebrities, including Ansel Elgort, Demi Lovato, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley, sharing their personal experiences with bullying and offering advice on protecting others. The organization continues to provide practical resources and inspiration for people seeking to make a positive change
Not stopping there, Scott has only accelerated her philanthropy. In late 2024, she announced over $ 2 billion in new unrestricted grants, and she is exploring mission-driven investments beyond traditional non-profit organizations. Continuing to reshape modern philanthropy, Scott’s bold and swift approach sets a new standard for how billionaires can use their wealth for good.
According to Forbes, with an estimated net worth of around $ 31 billion by 2025, Scott is among the top ten richest women in the world.
At one point, she was also one of the 25 richest people overall, and much of her wealth comes from her divorce from Bezos. The couple, who married without a prenuptial agreement in 1993, divided their assets during the divorce in 2019, leaving Scott with 25% of Amazon shares — instantly making her one of the richest women in the world.
But giving away her fortune has become Scott’s main mission. Since the divorce, she has become one of the most prolific philanthropists in history, donating over $ 19 billion to thousands of organizations worldwide. In her latest major round of donations announced in December 2024, she allocated over $ 2 billion in unrestricted grants to nearly 200 non-profit organizations.
In 2020, she revealed in a post on Medium that she had donated $ 4.2 billion to 384 organizations, including food banks like Meals on Wheels, in the past four months. «This pandemic has been a wrecking ball in the lives of Americans who are already struggling», - she wrote. «The economic losses and health outcomes have been worse for women, people of color, and people living in poverty. At the same time, it has substantially increased the wealth of billionaires».
Scott and Bezos are raising four children together: three sons and one daughter they adopted from China. Their eldest son, Preston (born in 2000), is the only child who has been publicly identified, while the names and details of their other children have been kept private.
Scott is a talented writer, having written two books: «The Testing of Luther Albright» (2005) and «Traps» (2013). Her debut novel, «The Testing of Luther Albright», - won the American Book Award and took nearly ten years to complete. Bezos told Vogue in 2013 that he remembers waking up during vacations and seeing Scott writing in the hotel bathroom, as she prioritized her young children over her writing schedule.
In 2014, Scott founded Bystander Revolution, an organization dedicated to combating bullying by empowering people to take simple actions to reduce bullying and promote kindness. As executive director, Scott oversees the creation of a website with hundreds of unscripted videos featuring students, experts, and celebrities, including Ansel Elgort, Demi Lovato, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley, sharing their personal experiences with bullying and offering advice on protecting others. The organization continues to provide practical resources and inspiration for people seeking to make a positive change
© Artemenko Olga
