MacKenzie Scott's $20m donation is Active Minds' largest ever in its history

Jeff Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie Scott recently donated $20 million to US nonprofit Active Minds, marking the largest single gift in the organization's history. The unrestricted grant will help the nonprofit expand programs that encourage young people to openly discuss mental health, reduce stigma and improve access to support in schools, colleges and communities across the United States. The donation comes at a time when mental health challenges among young Americans continue to grow. According to the organization, the funding will support its mission of making mental health an essential part of overall well-being for young people nationwide.MacKenzie Scott's $20 million donation to expand youth mental health programsActive Minds said the $20 million donation is the largest single contribution it has ever received. According to reports, the donation is worth about twice the nonprofit's annual revenue of $9.9 million for fiscal year 2025. The nonprofit said the unrestricted funding will allow it to expand programs that help young people talk openly about mental health, reduce stigma and improve access to mental health support.“This transformational investment allows us to build a future where every young person knows mental health is a vital part of their overall well-being”" Active Minds said.Active Minds supports mental health awareness in schools and collegesActive Minds was founded in 2001 by Alison Malmon after her older brother, Brian, struggled with depression and psychosis before dying by suicide. The organization began as a student group encouraging conversations about mental health on college campuses.The nonprofit said that during the 2024-25 financial year, it had around 13,485 official chapter members, while its chapter-led meetings, events and programs reached more than 400,000 young people with information on mental health and suicide prevention.MacKenzie Scott once used denture glue to fix a broken toothToday, Scott has an estimated net worth of about $36 billion. She has become one of the world's biggest philanthropists and is known for making large unrestricted donations to nonprofit organisations. Scott has previously spoken about the financial struggles she faced as a student at Princeton University. According to reports, she once tried to hold a broken tooth together with denture adhesive because she could not afford dental treatment. A dentist noticed her condition and treated her free of charge.Scott also worked about 30 hours a week while studying at Princeton. At one point, she was reportedly worried she would have to leave college because she was $1,000 short of the money she needed. A friend helped by arranging a loan that allowed her to continue her education.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.