Among the billions of dollars in recent donations made by MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is the largest contribution in the history of the YMCA of Greater Boston.
Scott, an author and philanthropist, said this week that she had given away $4.1 billion in the past four months to hundreds of organizations as part of a giving pledge she announced last year.
Friday, the YMCA of Greater Boston said Scott had given it $18 million.
"We greatly appreciate Ms. Scott's commitment to 'feeding hope' by challenging us to address the inequities impacting 'marginalized and underserved' communities across America," James Morton, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston, said in a statement. "She summons us to 'alleviate the suffering for those hardest hit by the pandemic.'"
"We are pleased to share this tremendous news and look forward being able to do more in service to the children, families and seniors in greater Boston during these unprecedented times," added Bill Parent, chair of the general board. "This is exceptional gift for our organization will allow us to meet immediate needs around hunger and childcare in our regions, position us to innovative around leadership, racial and social justice and deepen our commitment to our community."
The YMCA location says it has worked with others to deliver more than 4.4 million meals since the start of the pandemic and provided care for children of essential workers.
