Jeff Bezos' Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott Donates $70 Million To Support US Seniors Facing Hunger

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has donated $70 million to Meals on Wheels America. The donation, given without any restrictions, is aimed at supporting a nationwide network offering meals, safety checks and social connections to elderly and homebound individuals.

The organisation said the funding comes “at a time when nearly 14 million seniors worry about having enough food and 56% feel lonely, a declared national epidemic, negatively impacting their health and well-being.”

Notably, Scott has cut her stake in Amazon by 42%, marking one of her biggest reductions since her divorce from the company's founder.

The 56-year-old's contribution is expected to help strengthen the organisation's long-term capacity. Instead of being directed toward a single programme, the funds will be used to enhance the broader network, which includes over 5,000 community-based initiatives working to address senior hunger and isolation.

“This extraordinary investment reflects what is possible when philanthropy backs a proven nationwide network serving seniors in communities across the country,” said Kristine Templin, chief development and marketing officer at Meals on Wheels America.

According to a report in Fortune, the latest grant adds to Scott's extensive philanthropic record, which has grown rapidly in recent years. Since 2020, she has distributed roughly $26 billion through her platform, Yield Giving.

A week ago, she gave $7 million to Red Lake Nation College, a tribal institution in Minnesota. Weeks earlier, she donated $42 million to Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black college that pushed her total contributions to such institutions beyond the $1 billion mark.

Since 2020, she has donated $20 million to Xavier University, $20 million to Morehouse College, $80 million to Howard University and $38 million to Spelman College, among others.

Beyond education, Scott has directed $436 million in unrestricted funding to Habitat for Humanity to support housing initiatives. She has also contributed $90 million to the Forests, People, Climate collaborative to address tropical deforestation. The Girl Scouts of the USA received approximately $84.5 million to support leadership programmes and organisational development.

According to Fortune, Scott donated $7.2 billion in 2025 alone and has given away nearly 46% of her total wealth so far. This level of giving places her among the most prominent philanthropists globally. In contrast, estimates by Forbes suggest that Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, have contributed around $4.7 billion over their lifetimes.