LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Metro United Way received a $20 million donation, marking what it calls "the largest single donation in the nonprofit's 103-year history."
That donation came from writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
"My initial reaction was complete and utter disbelief, actually to the point that I flagged the email as a phishing scam and didn't respond," said Theresa Reno-Weber, Metro United Way's CEO.
The agency said it will use the funds to meet the needs it sees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and "provide a critical foundation for sustaining the bold, transformative innovations we must invest in to build a better tomorrow free of racial and social injustice."
"Ms. Scott's transformational gift tells us that she believes in the longstanding work and powerful impact of our staff, partners and volunteers," Reno-Weber said in a statement. "She believes in the generosity and commitment of our donors and is adding her support to stand alongside them in the impact they fund each year in the hopes that it will inspire others to join us."
Scott announced Tuesday she is giving a total of $4.16 billion to 384 organizations nationwide as part of a plan to donate the majority of her fortune. Earlier this week, Goodwill of Kentucky announced that it had received a $10 million gift from Scott, which was also the largest single donation that organization had received in its nearly 100-year history.
Many of Scott's donations aim to improve racial equity and income disparity.
"The work that we're doing here in our community was something that MacKenzie Scott was excited to support, given her emphasis on racial equity," Reno-Weber said.
Metro United Way was one of the first locations to hire a chief equity officer. The organization also works to expose and correct policies driving the racial wealth gap.
For the past five years, Metro United Way has been running a campaign highlighting Black Male Achievement, and the new Black Love initiative helps Louisville's Black community reinvest in itself.
"I think those are part of the work that put us on the radar for MacKenzie and her team," Reno-Weber said.
Scott is the world's 18th-richest person with a net worth of $60.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Hers is a fortune that has soared as Amazon's stock has surged in the pandemic. Scott received a quarter of Bezos' Amazon shares following their 2019 divorce.
Last year, Scott committed to the Giving Pledge initiative. Launched by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, the program encourages the world's richest people to donate a large portion of their fortunes to charitable causes.
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