Habitat Susquehanna Receives $3.5M Gift From Amazon CEO's Ex-Wife

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — An organization providing affordable housing for people in Havre de Grace received a $3.5 million gift recently from MacKenzie Scott.

Scott, who is the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, announced last week she was donating $436 million to 84 Habitat for Humanity affiliates, including Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna.

"We look forward to using this blessing to continue and expand our mission to provide safe and affordable housing here in Harford and Cecil Counties," President of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna David Crisp said in a statement.

In Havre de Grace, the organization reported it held a wall-raising ceremony on Friday to mark the final duplex of a seven-home subdivision it created on South Stokes Street. In addition, it has begun foundation work for a planned duplex on Erie Street.

“We are humbled and extremely grateful for this transformational gift,” Habitat Susquehanna’s Executive Director Yvonne Golczewski said in a statement about the $3.5 million donation.

“Most of our grants are restricted for particular projects, and it is very difficult to raise the funding to cover the administrative expenses that are necessary to run the organization," Golczewski said. "Adding that to the high cost of land and building materials, we need support now more than ever. This major gift is a tremendous opportunity for us to have greater long-term sustainability and better fulfill our mission. We hope this will encourage other donors to feel good about supporting a stable and effective nonprofit."

Through her divorce settlement with Bezos, Scott received a 4 percent stake in Amazon, which was worth roughly $38 billion at the time, Business Insider reported. She pledged in 2019 to give away the majority of her wealth.

Since June, Scott reports she has donated $3.86 billion to 465 nonprofits, according to Business Insider.

Habitat International, based in Atlanta, plans to use its $25 million donation toward dismantling systemic racism in housing, according to a statement from the organization, through its Cost of Home advocacy campaign and capital investments that service communities of color.

“Habitat works to break down barriers and bring people together — to tear down obstacles and build a world where everyone, no matter who we are or where we come from, has a decent place to live,” Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford said in a statement. “This incredible gift helps make that work possible.”

Habitat Susquehanna recently held dedication ceremonies for its 118th and 119th homes, which were built in partnership with Harford Technical High School and the Cecil County School of Technology.

Also in the pipeline is a townhouse rehab project on Farm Road in Aberdeen, where a dedication ceremony is scheduled in April.

Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna runs programs to promote homeownership, financial literacy, and neighborhood revitalization. It also operates a store called ReStore in Aberdeen.

Patch editor Deb Belt contributed to this report.