Divorced billionaires Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott together led America's wealthiest as the top philanthropists in 2020.
The world's richest individual and the world's second richest woman donated a combined total of $15.8 billion to their favored charities and global causes such as the fight against climate change and hunger.
Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com with a personal net worth of $192 billion, topped The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 2020 annual rankings of the 50 Americans that gave the most to charity.
Bezos gave away $10 billion to launch the Bezos Earth Fund that will combat climate change, and another $100 million to Feeding America, the organization that supplies more than 200 food banks.
Bezos has been doing philanthropy since 2009 and had given away some $100 million by mid-2017. His first billion-dollar donation was the $2 billion in September 2018 to a fund to deal with American homelessness and establish a network of non-profit preschools for low income communities.
Bezos' ex-wide, MacKenzie Scott, is number two on the list. Worth some $59 billion due to her massive divorce settlement, Scott has pledged to give away most of her personal fortune to charity.
In 2020, she gave away $5.7 billion to 512 organizations, including food banks, human-service organizations and racial-justice charities.
Scott is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, whose wealthy members promise to give at least half of their wealth to charity. She donated $6 billion in charitable gifts in 2020, one of the largest annual distributions by a private individual to charitable organizations.
Scott announced grants of $1.7 billion in July 2020 and another $4.2 billion in December. Her massive donations were made without attaching any restrictions or naming rights requirements.
"There is a ton to celebrate about her philanthropy," said Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, which provides research data to foundations and other charitable donors.
"I would hope that the sheer amount of money she is getting out the door and her intention to continue to do so is a kick in the pants to all those sitting on tremendous wealth at time of unbelievable challenge and need."
The third top giver was former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, who contributed $1.6 billion to arts, education, public health, among many other causes. Fourth on the list is Nike founder Phil and Penelope Knight, who donated $1.4 billion.
The 50 biggest American donors collectively contributed $24.7 billion in 2020 compared to $15.8 billion in 2019. The Chronicle's rankings are based on the total amount philanthropists awarded in 2020.
