How United Way is spending its $5M grant from Amazon billionaire
Photo | Courtesy of United Way of Central Massachusetts
Tim Garvin, president & CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, in Worcester
In December, the United Way of Central Massachusetts in Worcester received a $5-million grant from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, nearly equaling the nonprofit’s annual budget.
President and CEO Tim Garvin announced Thursday how much of that money has been divvied up in the last year and a half, while asking for ideas on how to spend the rest. Here's how the nonprofit has budgeted the money thus far:
- $500,000 for kids’ summer program, A Great Summer
- $500,000 for the Worcester Remote Learning Hub Collaborative, which has 10 providers, 95 classrooms, and 1,300 students
- $107,000 to the Vaccine Corps, recruiting more than 8,000 volunteers to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. This donation made United Way the largest local funder of the Vaccine Corps, according to Garvin’s announcement.
- $100,000 to begin funding support for Afghan refugees
- $250,000 to various programs including College Corps, EforAll, Green Corps, 2Gether We Eat, a community kitchen at Rock of Salvation Church in Worcester, and a summer literacy program.
United Way will invest $1 million of the gift in 2022 and a second $1 million chunk in 2023.
Scott's $5-million gift to the United Way was part of $4 billion she distributed to nonprofits and other charitable efforts at the end of 2020. Scott is a novelist, a former Amazon employee, and the ex-wife of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos.
In his announcement about the spending of Scott's donation, Garvin said the United Way is seeking community input for future spending of the gift, with focus areas on diversity, equity and inclusion; early education from birth to eight years old; and eradicating poverty.
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