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Former President Barack Obama’s foundation announced Monday that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had given it a $100 million donation, which it claims is the largest single gift it has ever received. Bezos and his family pledged $166 million to NYU Langone Health, a medical centre affiliated with New York University, on Monday.
In a statement, the Obama Foundation said Bezos’ gift will “help in extending the scope of programmes that targets rising leaders” in the United States and around the world.
The gift was also made in memory of Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who passed away last year. Bezos has requested that the plaza of the Obama Presidential Center, which is now under construction in Chicago’s South Side, be named after Lewis as part of the gift, according to the foundation. The foundation was “thrilled” by the proposal, according to Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to Obama who now serves as its CEO.
Puck News initially reported on Bezos’ donation to the nonprofit.
The cost of Obama’s legacy project is projected to be over $830 million, with construction expected to be finished by 2025. Meanwhile, the foundation said it will allow contributors to name public places in the future presidential centre in order to “honour and elevate the names of individuals who have battled for a more just and equal society.”
In a statement issued by the organisation, Bezos stated, “Freedom warriors deserve a special place in the pantheon of heroes.” “I can’t think of a greater person to honour with this gift than John Lewis, a great American statesman who embodies great decency and courage.” “Through the Obama Foundation, I’m thrilled to join President and Mrs. Obama in their mission to educate and inspire tomorrow’s leaders.”
Since stepping down as CEO of Amazon earlier this year, Bezos has shifted his focus to philanthropy. The other Bezos gift, which was disclosed Monday, would be used to help “with the health and wellness of different communities” across the NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn community, which is one of the school’s teaching hospitals and trauma centres in Brooklyn, according to a statement.
Bezos said last year that his Bezos Earth Fund would invest $10 billion by 2030 to help combat climate change. He’s revealed some details about how he intends to spend the money in recent months.
Bezos, whose net worth is estimated at $212 billion by Forbes, has long been questioned about his limited charity donations and refusal to sign The Giving Pledge. The pledge, created by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, aims to persuade the world’s wealthiest people to devote more than half of their fortune to charitable causes.
The pledge has been signed by MacKenzie Scott, Bezos’ ex wife, who is worth $61 billion. Over the past 17 months, Scott has made an impact in the philanthropic industry by donating $8.7 billion to a variety of NGOs across the country — with no strings attached.
