MacKenzie Scott gives $6.8 million to Jacksonville-area Boys & Girls Clubs

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $6.8 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, which will be used to establish more Jacksonville-area clubs and serve more at-risk youth.

Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, gave $281 million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and its 62 affiliates, the largest collective gift given by an individual in the organization’s 160-year history.

Announced Thursday, the local funding will help the Northeast Florida affiliate meet its "strategic goal" of increasing its number of clubs from 38 to 55 by 2025, according to Paul Martinez, president and CEO.

"We are grateful to Ms. Scott for recognizing the work our clubs do every day to build great futures for young people in our communities," he said. "This generous, unrestricted gift is an affirmation of the profound impact we have made on our young people over the past 60 years in Northeast Florida."

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It will accelerate the clubs' growth so they can positively impact more young people across communities, Martinez said.

The clubs provide after-school programming and summer camps for about 3,500 youth at 38 locations in Duval, St. Johns and Alachua counties. They are designed to promote character and leadership development, academic achievement, health and life skills, the arts and sports, fitness and recreation.

The local affiliate has formed a steering committee, led by board Chairman Paul Price, to determine how best to use Scott's gift.

"Our goal is to make these dollars work harder for us because the need in our community is so great," he said. "There are an infinite number of young people out there that need help, so it is our duty to make the greatest impact possible with this wonderful gift."

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Nationwide, Boys & Girls Clubs have about 4,700 locations. The Scott funding will expand that network as well.

"Gifts like this are rare and have incredible impact. It’s a historic moment for our organization and the clubs that received MacKenzie Scott’s significant support," Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, said. "We know now, more than ever, that with the right support system, positive mentorship and opportunities, kids can thrive. Thanks to this generous gift, Boys & Girls Clubs can continue to reach even more youth, as we guide millions of kids and teens on their journeys to great futures."

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Lack of access to technology, positive adult role models, guidance and nutrition can cause long-term setbacks and trauma for young people. Clubs provide that access, the national office said.

"When kids attend high-quality youth development programs at Boys & Girls Clubs, they become resilient and develop habits that strengthen their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing," Clark said. “This gift will build upon the incredible work happening each day in communities around the country as we empower the next generation of leaders, innovators and problem-solvers."

Scott ranks 23rd on the list of world's richest people, with a net worth of $51.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The Boys & Girls Clubs gift is the latest in a series of donations Scott has made since December 2020 when she doled out $4 billion in grants to 384 nonprofits across the country.

Those grants included $20 million to the United Way of Northeast Florida and $10 million to Goodwill Industries of North Florida, the largest gifts in their respective histories. The YMCA of Florida's First Coast also received a grant but declined to disclose the amount.

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Scott's latest giving has targeted "large national nonprofits that have dozens or more local chapters scattered throughout the country that provide services to people in marginalized or low-income areas," according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. In gifts announced in February, she donated $133.5 million to Communities in Schools and $50 million to the National 4-H Council.

Overall, Scott has given at least $8 billion to nearly 900 nonprofits since 2020, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

With her latest donations, she decided not to announce them herself but let the recipients decide how and when to make them public.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA

To donate, volunteer or get club locations or more information, contact the corporate office at 10 S. Newnan St., 2nd Floor, Jacksonville 32202; mailing address P.O. Box 2059, Jacksonville 32203; or (904) 913-8100 or go to bgcnf.org.

The national office is at bgca.org.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: MacKenzie Scott donates $6.8 million to local Boys & Girls Clubs