LA Girl Scouts Receive $4.9 Million Donation From MacKenzie Scott

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles received an unprecedented donation of $4.9 million from MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Scott's donation to the LA council was part of an $84.5 million donation awarded to the Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 of the 111 total local councils. Scott's gift was the largest donation ever received by an individual in GSUSA and GSGLA's history.

"We are deeply grateful to MacKenzie Scott for this extraordinary gift, which will help us reach thousands more girls," said GSGLA's CEO Theresa Edy Kiene. "To receive this investment in girls in our 100th anniversary year is particularly meaningful; as we set the course for our future, we are squarely focused on making sure all girls in Greater Los Angeles have access to our programming."

According to GSGLA donations to women's and girls' organizations make up less than 2 percent of all charitable giving. Scott's donation will help the national organization recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The LA council said the donation will enable them to create more equitable membership opportunities in underserved communities, bolster foundations in volunteer and staff training, prepare girls for their futures and provide opportunities for girls to connect with nature.

“The support from all our donors, including this generous donation from Ms. Scott, is critical in delivering on our work of reimagination and transformation," GSUSA CEO Sofia Chang said. "We’re excited to prove how Ms. Scott’s investment in girls will change the world—because when one girl succeeds, we all succeed.”