MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist, author, and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has married a Seattle science teacher who expressed gratitude “for the exceptional privilege it will be to partner in giving away assets with the potential to do so much good when shared."

Dan Jewett, who made the announcement in a letter to the website of the nonprofit organization the Giving Pledge on Saturday, said he never imagined he would be in a position to talk about giving away significant wealth during his lifetime in order to make a difference in other people's lives.

Jewett has been a teacher for decades and most recently taught chemistry at the private Lakeside School, where Scott's children attended.

“And now, in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know — and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others," Jewett wrote.

After donating $1.68 billion to 116 nonprofits, universities, community development groups, and legal organizations last July, Scott asked a team of advisers to help her “accelerate” her 2020 giving with immediate help to those financially gutted by the pandemic.

Scott went on to donate a total of $5.7 billion in 2020 by asking community leaders to help identify 512 organizations for seven- and eight-figure gifts, including food banks, human-service organizations, and racial-justice charities.

She was listed as No. 2 among the 50 Americans who gave the most to charity last year, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual rankings.

Bezos topped the list by donating $10 billion to launch the Bezos Earth Fund.

Share:
More In Culture
The Deep End: Animals
As humans, we share this beautiful planet with more than eight million other species. In this episode of "The Deep End," we are looking at a few that we interact with most intimately. They provide us comfort, do our yard work, and one even predates us by 66 million years.
The Deep End: The Great Outdoors
On this episode of "The Deep End," we're venturing outside. Whether it's spending time in a national park, turning streets into public spaces to relax in, or having an outside date near the beach, there's plenty to do in the great outdoors.
The Deep End: Food
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News is taking a closer look at something that we are all intimately familiar with: food. Whether it's a sign of cultural identity, the foundation of many businesses, or simply as a means of nourishing our bodies, food is an essential part of what it means to be human.
The Deep End: Entertainment
From Broadway to NFT art to TikTok, the world is getting more creative. On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the world of entertainment.
The Deep End: Social Justice
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the social justice movements defining the start of a new decade. From systemic racism and climate change to police brutality and women's rights, these are just a few of the harsh realities America has reckoned with amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We're taking a closer look at where the nation stands today.
The Deep End: Taboo Topics
On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News takes a closer look at taboo topics. Some people call them vices, while other people call them hobbies. But what we do know is the line between what is accepted and what is illicit is getting blurred more and more each day.
Load More