Two Kentucky organizations have received millions of dollars in donations from one of the wealthiest women in the world.
MacKenzie Scott, 50, philanthropist, author and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $15 million to Paducah’s West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC), and $10 million to Goodwill of Kentucky.
The donations are part of $4.1 billion Scott has given away in the past four months as part of a giving pledge she announced last year.
WKCTC President Anton Reece said the donation will help provide more resources for students.
“This gift is a generational, transformative gift because it gives us the flexibility to really meet individuals in real time in the rural areas of our region, our diverse populations, and lower socioeconomic,” Reece said.
Amy Luttrell, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, said the money will allow the organization to help more people build skills for a career and gain stability in their lives.
Upon Scott and Bezos divorcing last year, she became the third richest women in the world. Forbes currently lists Scott as the fourth richest woman in the world.
By Ken Howlett, News Director and the Associated Press
