Jeff Bezos, the co-founder of Amazon, generously contributed $2 million to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alabama and $1 million to the First Light homeless shelter.
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has generously donated a total of $3 million to two non-profit organizations in Alabama.
Scott’s organization, Yield Giving, recently announced that it has distributed a total of $640 million among 361 organizations. As part of this generous donation, the ACLU of Alabama has received $2 million, while the First Light homeless shelter has been granted $1 million.
The ACLU of Alabama stated that the donation would enable the organization to strengthen its core missions, including voting rights, gender equality, and criminal justice reform.
“The significance of investing in the Deep South is reinforced by this generous donation. It emphasizes the need for organizations like the ACLU of Alabama to actively advocate, participate, and resist the misguided actions of lawmakers,” commented JaTaune Bosby Gilchrist, executive director of the ACLU of Alabama. “We deeply appreciate Ms. Scott’s support and the recognition from our colleagues, affirming the importance of our shared vision, strategic approach, and unwavering dedication.”
First Light, a shelter based in Birmingham, is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers from different churches and organizations. Their main objective is to offer emergency shelter, housing assistance, and other essential resources to individuals who are currently facing homelessness.
The surge of philanthropy began with Yield Giving’s “Open Call” in March 2023. This initiative aimed to support community-focused non-profit organizations in the United States that strive to empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities. The call specifically targeted groups facing discrimination and systemic barriers, as highlighted by Yield Giving’s partner, Leverage for Change.
A whopping 6,353 applications flooded in, with plans to award 250 grants of $1 million each. However, the donor team, impressed by the exceptional work of these organizations as evaluated by their peers and external panelists, made the decision to broaden the pool of awardees and increase the amount of the awards, as stated in a release by Leverage for Change.
The highest-ranking group of 279 organizations received a generous donation of $2 million, while an additional 82 organizations received a substantial amount of $1 million.
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