Healthcare Georgia Foundation, a caretaker to Georgia’s vulnerable populations and underserved communities, announced on Friday that philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $9 million to the organization. A novelist and Princeton University graduate, Scott owns a 4% stake in Amazon as the former wife of business titan Jeff Bezos. With an estimated net worth of $29.3 billion, Forbes ranked Scott as the third wealthiest woman in America this year.
“We are honored and grateful to receive this donation, and it arrives at a crucial time for Georgians across the state who continue to face systemic barriers gaining access to the services and conditions they need to thrive,” foundation president and CEO Kristy Klein Davis said in a press release. “Our Board and staff are thrilled to utilize these funds to expand upon our work with communities to advance health equity.”
The Healthcare Georgia Foundation recently completed the Two Georgias Initiative, the organization’s latest mission to partner with nonprofits for the betterment of local health care. The foundation said that Scott’s recent donation will go a long way towards furthering that goal.
“The Foundation is working to meet a wide range of Georgia’s most pressing needs,” board chair Dr. Doug Patten said in the press release. “Our state has one of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in the nation, rural residents have limited access to needed high-quality healthcare, and many of Georgia’s families are going into debt just trying to manage chronic conditions. These funds will help us elevate conversations and further leverage statewide partnerships that will create a better and healthier future for all Georgians. We’re grateful to Ms. Scott for investing in us, and thereby investing in Georgia families.”
In a recent blog post, Scott issued a statement concerning her near $2 billion in recent donations, including to the Healthcare Georgia Foundation.
“Over the last seven months, with the help of my team, I gave $1,990,800,000 to 343 organizations supporting the voices and opportunities of people from underserved communities,” she said.
“The funds we picked look for teams with lived experience in the issues they’re addressing, as we did when selecting the other non-profits in this giving cycle, and the 1,200+ recipients before them, many of which are also funds,” Scott continued.
The billionaire philanthropist finished her thoughts with a reminder for her readers.
“I recently learned a saying used in disability communities: ‘Nothing about us without us,’” she said. “For me, it’s another beautiful and powerful reminder. I needn’t ask those I care about what to say to them, or what to do for them. I can share what I have with them to stand behind them as they speak and act for themselves.”
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