As the world grappled with COVID-19, a recession and a racial reckoning, the ultrawealthy gave to a broader set of causes than ever before - bestowing multimillion-dollar gifts on food pantries, historically Black colleges and universities and organizations that serve the poor and the homeless, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual rankings of the 50 Americans who gave the most to charity last year.
Another cause that got outsized attention from billionaire philanthropists: Climate change. Jeff Bezos topped the list by donating $10 billion to launch the Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos also contributed $100 million to Feeding America, the organization that supplies more than 200 food banks.
No. 2 on the list was Bezos’ ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, who gave $5.7 billion in 2020 by supporting 512 organizations including food banks, human-service organizations, and racial-justice charities. (AP)
