MacKenzie Scott gives millions to Habitat for Humanity, Planned Parenthood in the Triangle
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $436 million to Habitat for Humanity on Tuesday, and $9.5 million of that money is going toward affordable housing in the Triangle.
On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood announced that Scott had donated $275 million to the organization and its affiliates — the largest donation ever made by a single donor to the organization. Of that amount, $15 million will go to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, headquartered in Raleigh, the organization confirmed.
Durham Habitat, Orange Habitat and Habitat for Humanity International, along with 82 other U.S. Habitat affiliate organizations, recently received the funds in unrestricted giving. Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, said the donations would have a “have a multi-generational impact” through improving housing accessibility around the nation.
The funds to Habitat are Scott’s largest publicly disclosed donation since she pledged to give away the majority of her wealth in 2019, Forbes reported. Scott, whom Forbes estimates to be worth nearly $50 billion, said last December that she no longer would publicly disclose her donations.
Durham County will receive $4.5 million and Orange County will receive $5 million, according to a news release. They are two of seven North Carolina Habitat affiliates to receive Scott’s donation.
“This gift is a huge vote of confidence in Durham’s mission from a remarkable philanthropist,” said Durham Habitat’s Interim CEO Jim Belanger in a news release. “We will work to honor the confidence that she has pledged in us on behalf of future generations of Durham Habitat homeowners and their families.”
The funds will support affordable housing construction projects in east Durham from the City of Durham and the Durham Housing Authority, including home repair projects throughout the city.
The City of Durham’s Affordable Housing Bond Investment Plan currently calls for $160 million in local and federal funds, including the city’s previously approved $95 million housing bond.
In Orange County, the Habitat for Humanity affiliate is adding new homes, from 12 to 20 per year over the next two years, to accommodate more families in need, according to a release. Habitat said it would build large mixed-income communities in Chapel Hill similar to the 32-acre Weavers Grove community, according to a release.
“The pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis in Orange County,” said Jennifer Player, Orange Habitat President and CEO, in a statement. “This incredible donation will allow Orange Habitat to sustainably scale our impact and look ahead to future building opportunities. It is my hope that this gift will be a major accelerator, allowing us to serve even more families and ensure our organization’s future for years to come with more innovative communities like Crescent Magnolia and Weavers Grove.”
The philanthropic announcement comes as housing affordability remains one of the biggest issues in the Triangle as home prices and rent rates have skyrocketed in the last two years.
The typical home price in Chapel Hill currently exceeds $550,000 and in Durham prices exceed $380,000, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
Scott is giving to Habitat organizations in Asheville, Fayetteville, Catawba Valley, Craven County, the Charlotte region and the Sandhills.
The Habitat Charlotte Region received $13.5 million, the largest in the organization’s history, The Charlotte Observer reported. The Catawba Valley chapter received $2.5 million, along with the York County chapter, which is in South Carolina.
“It was really hard to process,” Habitat Charlotte President Laura Belcher told The Observer. “There is both the stunned, overwhelmed joy and the serious responsibility of stewarding this gift really well.”
Raleigh Planned Parenthood gets $15M gift
In a new blog post on Wednesday, Scott announced that she has officially given away over $3.86 billion to a total of 465 organizations since June 2021.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic was on the new list of nonprofits who were gifted millions of dollars.
“Each non-profit it will list was selected through a rigorous process, and has a strong track record of serving under-supported needs,” Scott wrote. “If you are looking for a way to serve humanity’s common cause, every one of them is a great candidate. Helping any of us can help us all.”
The South Atlantic chapter of the nonprofit health care provider serves 14 locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia offering reproductive health services, including abortions.
“Out of our 14 health centers, the Raleigh health center — which also houses PPSAT’s headquarters — is one of our busiest,” Jenny Black, the Planned Parenthood South Atlantic CEO and president, said in a statement to The News & Observer. “Without a doubt, this investment will enable us to double down on our commitment to reduce health inequities in the Raleigh community and strengthen the organization as a whole across our service area.”
Scott’s gifts also included several other regional Planned Parenthood chapters.
Mackenzie Scott’s donations to NC
When Scott and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos divorced in 2019, she received 25% of Bezos’ Amazon stake, Forbes said.
Scott has publicly pledged to donate most of her billions since then — and several North Carolina organizations and institutions have been the beneficiaries of her donations.
Previous donations have gone to:
▪ Food Bank of Eastern & Central North Carolina
▪ Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina
▪ Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
▪ MANNA Food Bank
▪ Meals on Wheels
▪ Durham Self-Help Ventures Fund
▪ United Way of Greater Greensboro
▪ United Way of the Greater Triangle
▪ YMCA of Greater Charlotte
▪ YMCA of High Point
Scott also has donated millions to three Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the state, The N&O reported previously.
She donated $30 million to Winston-Salem State University, $15 million to Elizabeth City State University and $45 million to North Carolina A&T University.
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 2:44 PM.
