Jeff Bezos announces $2 billion charity focused on homelessness, preschool education
Jeff Bezos has a new mission, and he's throwing $2 billion into the mix to get it started.
Bezos and his wife Mackenzie have launched the Bezos Day One Fund to fight homelessness and fund preschool education, the Amazon founder announced Thursday. It's the biggest charitable contribution yet from the world's richest man.
Bezos' $167 billion net worth makes him one of a handful of the world's wealthiest people who hasn't joined The Giving Pledge, which devotes signers to giving a majority of their money away over the course of their life. Instead, Bezos tweeted last June that he'd rather help people "here and now," asking for suggestions to spark his philanthropic activity. A year later, Bezos has revealed two areas he's decided to focus his giving on.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
So in a Thursday tweet, Bezos announced the two-part Day One Fund, which appears to be his flagship charity. The Day 1 Families Fund will benefit existing nonprofits that provide "immediate" assistance and shelter to needy families. The Day 1 Academies Fund will run "a network of high-quality, full-scholarship, Montessori-inspired preschools in underserved communities."
It's all aimed at making future generations' lives better than the ones we lead today, Bezos said. Read his full statement below. Kathryn Krawczyk
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
India elections start amid violence, hate speech accusations
Talking Points Narendra Modi seeks a third term while critics worry about the future of the country's democracy
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Bird flu worries mount as virus found in milk, cows
Speed Read The FDA found traces of the virus in pasteurized grocery store milk
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published