WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Jeff Bezos is ranked No. 1 on the Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of top 50 American charity donors in 2020.
In a year the world was grappling with COVID-19, economic recession and racial tensions, they channeled big sums to a broader set of causes such as food banks, pandemic relief, racial justice efforts, and universities and organizations that serve the poor and the homeless.
Bezos, the founder of Amazon Inc., donated $10 billion to launch the Bezos Earth Fund and $100 million to Feeding America, the organization that supports more than 200 food banks. The billionaire resigned as Amazon CEO last week to devote more time to philanthropy and other projects.
Bezos, who topped the rankings in 2018 with more than $2 billion in philanthropy, could not find a place in the list in 2019.
Former wife of Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott is the second biggest donor in the United States. The novelist and philanthropist donated $5.7 billion of her fortune to 512 organizations ranging from food banks to social justice advocates and racial-justice charity organizations. Having a net worth of $57.5 billion, 50 year old Scott is the third-wealthiest woman in the world.
Top U.S. philanthropist and founder of Bloomberg financial news company Michael Bloomberg is ranked third, donating $1.6 billion in 2020. The former New York mayor and presidential candidate has consistently been placed among the Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list for 16 years.
Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny Knight are ranked next with a total contribution of $1.4 billion. The couple's biggest gift was $900 million to Knight Foundation. Additionally, they donated $300 million to the University of Oregon.
Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey is ranked fifth. He donated $1.1 billion that included funding for COVID-19 relief efforts, girls' education and health, and universal basic income. More than 100 nonprofits have benefitted from his generosity.
Retired hedge-fund manager John Arnold and wife Laura ($567 million), former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and wife Wendy ($469.6 million), eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and wife Pam ($441 million), Construction magnate Frederick Kummer and wife June ($300 million), and Banker Denny Sanford ($224.2 million) make up the top 10.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy is a magazine that covers the nonprofit world of philanthropy. Based in Washington, DC, it is aimed at charity leaders, foundation executives, fund raisers, and other people involved in philanthropy.
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