Ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos donates $10m to Tucson's United Way

MacKenzie Scott, in a photo taken in 2018. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images)

Officials with the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona announced on Dec. 15 that they are the beneficiary of a $10 million gift from the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

According to a statement, officials with the organizations say while the donation by MacKenzie Scott did not come with any conditions, they have a strategic plan in place to use the donation to fight racial and economic disparities, address COVID-19 relief, and meet other pressing community needs. The donation is the single largest one of its kind received by the organization in its history.

Officials with the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona said they are just one of 384 non-profit organizations that will benefit from her donations. Other Arizona organizations that benefitted from Scott's donation include Valley of the Sun United Way, YMCA of Southern Arizona, and YWCA of Southern Arizona.

On Jan. 9, 2019, Bezos announced on his Twitter that he and Scott were getting a divorce. On Apr. 9, Scott announced on her Twitter that she has finished the divorce process. Scott has said that she has made a commitment to give away the majority of her wealth in her lifetime.

Scott, whose divorce process from Bezos was complete in 2019, said she had pledged to give away the majority of her wealth in her lifetime.