Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who has a net worth of around $240 billion, once described himself as a ‘lottery winner’ and emphasised on the moral obligation which comes with extraordinary wealth. In a 2001 interview, Bezos shared his thoughts on philanthropy, calling it a challenge equal to building a fortune. “If you are a lottery winner as I am, then one of the things you get a chance to do at some point in your life is to be a philanthropist,” Bezos said. “I suspect that it takes as much time, energy, focus, and hard work to effectively give away money as it does to get it in the first place.”
The responsibility of success
Bezos cautioned that a poorly planned giving can waste resources and he urged the wealth people to think strategically about how their money can be used in ‘highly leveraged’ ways. Comments made by Bezos gained renewed relevance as his philanthropic efforts continue to expand.
From startup to global impact
Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and went ahead to transform it into a $2.3 trillion e-commerce empire. After this Bezos turned his attention towards global challenges. His $10 billion Earth Fund is made to combat climate change. On the other hand, the Courage and Civility Award grant $50 million to individuals advancing humanitarian causes.In 2018, Bezos also pledged to support homeless families and education programs. Along with this, his wife Lauran Sanchez, Bezos made multiple multimillion-dollar donations in recent years.
A family of philanthropists
Bezos’ ex-wide MacKenzie Scott, has also become one of the most prolific philanthropists of the decade. Through her organization Yield Giving, she has donated over $19 billion to more than 2,000 nonprofits since 2019.
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