Bezos’ ex-wife donates $22M to Colorado non-profit organizations, including Early Milestones
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has paid $254 million to more than 135,000 payroll and contract workers who have filed new claims for benefits since Saturday under two recently resumed programs.
The Associated Press file
Early Milestones Colorado, a statewide organization that works on behalf of children, has received a $2.5 million donation from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Early Milestones will use the donation to launch its Impact on Equity fund to support community equity solutions for early childhood.
“By working together, we can create a ripple effect that transcends individual initiatives, fostering a systemic transformation to support the present and future of countless children in Colorado,” Jennifer Stedron, Early Milestones executive director, said in a press release.
Formed in 2015, the organization collaborates to advance solutions for a number of priority issues, including early childhood mental health, by offering research and tech assistance to influence policy changes, according to the group’s website.
Scott, who was formerly married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, made donations to six Colorado nonprofit organizations — including Early Milestones — totaling $22.5 million.
Other Colorado recipients include CareerWise Colorado, a youth apprenticeship system, received $7 million and Sunrise Community Health, a federally qualified health center, garnered the largest donation at $7.5 million.
Since 2020, Scott has donated more than $100 million to Colorado nonprofits, according to Scott’s Yield Giving website.
Scott disclosed that she had given more than $16.5 billion to 1,900 nonprofit organizations across the U.S. since 2019.
“Excited to call attention to these 360 outstanding organizations, every one of whom could use more allies,” Scott wrote earlier this month.
Early Milestones Colorado has distributed more than $35 million in public and philanthropic funds since launching eight years ago.
Officials are expected to announce its first priority from the Impact on Equity fund early next year.
“These funds will allow us to expand our reach and impact for systemic change,” Elaine Grossman, board chair of Early Milestones Colorado, said in a statement. “With this gift, we will strengthen our efforts to make Colorado the best place to be a child.”