El Paso’s YWCA gets $20M gift, while United Way gets $5M from philanthropist-author MacKenzie Scott
EL PASO, Texas – The YWCA El Paso del Norte has received a $20 million gift that can be used however the organization wants.
Author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who was recently named to the Forbes’ list of most powerful women in the world, made the donation.
Scott has become known for “trust-based philanthropy,” where she provides unrestricted funds to “trusted” community organizations, allowing those organizations to use the money to support their mission and community as they see fit.
“This gift will make the YWCA’s work possible for years to come and will impact so many people in the El Paso community,” said Sylvia Acosta, chief executive officer for the YWCA in El Paso.
According to Forbes’ magazine, Scott is the world’s 18th richest person and she has given away close to $6 billion this year. She is the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
The United Way of El Paso also announced that it received a $5 million donation from Scott.
The United Way hasn't decided how it will spend the money but officials said it will be a "collaborative process" with corporate partners, the organization's board of directors and others.
