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MacKenzie Bezos Vows To Donate Half Her Fortune

MacKenzie Bezos, newly divorced from billionaire Jeff Bezos, has signed a pledge to give half her money to charity. The tech titan’s ex-wife says she has a “disproportionate amount of money,” and feels a responsibility to share it.

MacKenzie Bezos is one of 200 ultra-wealthy individuals who has signed The Giving Pledge, which encourages the wealthy to give their excess cash to good causes.

“In August 2010, 40 of America’s wealthiest individuals and couples joined together in a commitment to give more than half of their wealth away,” GivingPledge.org explains. “Created by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, the Giving Pledge came to life following a series of conversations with philanthropists around the world about how they could collectively set a new standard of generosity among the ultra-wealthy.”

MacKenzie Bezos is one of nineteen new signatories to the Giving Pledge this year. She has already been involved in several charity organizations. In 2013, she helped found an anti-bullying nonprofit, The Bystander Revolution.

“My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful,” Bezos said. “It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty. I have no doubt that tremendous value comes when people act quickly on the impulse to give. No drive has more positive ripple effects than the desire to be of service.”