The charity Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has accelerated into the fast lane toward transforming youth mentorship in the U.S. with Tuesday’s $122.6 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
The 118-year-old nonprofit will use the record-breaking gift to further its mission to ensure every young person has access to powerful one-on-one mentoring relationships that empower them for success in school, career, and life.
Currently BBBSA operates 230 local offices serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. Scott’s funding will support expanding the organization’s staff and training–and assist them in closing the gap on the estimated one in three youth who lack a positive, sustained role model.
The group says more than 13 million young Americans experience emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions like depression—and hopes to attract families and volunteers in ‘turnkey ways’ that meet them where they are in life.
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“We are confident that MacKenzie’s investment will compel more people to help grow the village of mentors, volunteers, and donors needed to positively impact young people’s lives today and well into the future,” said Artis Stevens, the CEO of BBBSA.
“Mentoring is an integral part of the solution… including post-secondary readiness, social emotional learning, and a stronger sense of belonging and inclusion.”
The unprecedented investment from the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the largest donation from a single individual in the organization’s history.
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“We know that no one person, organization, or gift can do this work alone, but one person—no matter their background—can make an incredible difference through positive and inspired action. MacKenzie’s investment and belief in Big Brothers Big Sisters shows this on a large-scale.”
Ms. Scott has given away $8 billion in the past two years to hundreds of charities, since her divorce left her with 4% of Amazon’s shares—including, recently donating $436 million to Habitat for Humanity.
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