Jeff Bezos' ex-wife MacKenzie Scott who sold half of her Amazon stake now donates $70 million to Meals on Wheels America to support ...

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' ex-wife MacKenzie Scott has made her latest donation to Meals on Wheels America. The $70 million funding from Scott, who was also an early Amazon employee, will support meal delivery and care services for seniors and homebound individuals across the US. Scott’s donation is part of her broader philanthropic efforts, with total donations reaching $26 billion since 2020.According to a report by Fortune, Meals on Wheels America has confirmed that the contribution comes at a time when one in three local providers has a wait-list, with elderly individuals waiting an average of four months for meals and related services. The organisation also said that the unrestricted funding will help expand its nationwide network, which currently delivers meals, social connection, and safety checks to more than 2 million people each year.Meals on Wheels America told Fortune that with Scott’s donation, it can place greater emphasis on efforts to “strengthen the network’s capacity” over the long term and provide additional support to local providers.The organization currently supports more than 5,000 community-based programs addressing senior hunger and isolation. Meals on Wheels America said Scott’s contribution will have a meaningful impact, but it will not fully meet the country’s increasing demand. It also expressed hope that the donation will encourage others to contribute.In a statement to Fortune, Kristine Templin, chief development and marketing officer at Meals on Wheels America, said, “We will steward the investment thoughtfully and responsibly to help generate economies of scale and impact that strengthen the capacity of local providers so they can reach more older adults with meals, connection and care. Ultimately, success means more seniors are able to access the support they need to live more nourished, independent, and healthy lives.”Since 2020, Scott has donated billions without restrictions through her foundation Yield Giving. Her recent contributions include $7 million to Red Lake Nation College and $42 million to Elizabeth City State University, taking her total donations to historically Black colleges and universities past $1 billion. She has also supported institutions like Howard University and Spelman College, alongside $436 million to Habitat for Humanity, $90 million to climate initiatives, and $84.5 million to Girl Scouts of the USA. In 2025 alone, Scott donated $7.2 billion.“I think she’s a trendsetter and sort of moral ballast to the way that Gates has been,” Bella DeVaan, associate director of the charity reform initiative at the Institute for Policy Studies, told Fortune last year. “I do see that being not just a trend, but shifting common sense toward trust-based philanthropy.”Scott and Bezos married in 1993 and then moved to Seattle, where they co-founded Amazon in 1994. While Bezos focused on expansion, she helped run the company’s early operations, overseeing contracts and logistics. Scott got about 4% of Amazon during their divorce and has pledged to give away most of her wealth.According to America’s Top 25 Philanthropists list, Scott ranked third with a total lifetime giving of $26.4 billion. Warren Buffett topped the list with $68.3 billion, followed by Bill and Melinda Gates at $52.6 billion, while Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan took fourth place with a total donation of $6.1 billion.