'Humbling': MacKenzie Scott Donates $1.8M To Nassau Girl Scouts

GARDEN CITY, NY — The Girl Scouts of Nassau County received a $1.8 million donation from MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The gift is the largest single donation in the organization's history.

The donation to the Garden City-based Nassau chapter is part of a larger, $84.5 million donation to Girl Scouts of USA. Scott picked 29 councils to receive individual grants. Girl Scouts of Nassau County said the money will help create new programs, improve access to communities and find new ways to meet the needs of today's girls.

“This humbling and empowering gift will accelerate our ability to provide girls with the tools and mentorship to make a difference in their communities and make the world a better place,” said Randell Bynum, the chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “At Girl Scouts of Nassau County, we see how our programming excites and inspires girls across every community we serve, and this generous contribution will further Girl Scouts mission to help our girls grow into future leaders in business, science, arts and everything in between, and will help us expand access through innovation and diversity. We are incredibly grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s commitment to supporting and uplifting young girls.”

The Nassau chapter said the money provides an immediate boost to the organization. It plans to establish a new program center in a growing Girl Scout neighborhood that is 1,250 to 2,500 square feet. The center would be used to hold daily Girl Scout programs, and serve as a location for programs, activities, troop meetings, and as a production studio to give girls media and content development experience.

The organization will also develop a three-year strategic plan that focuses on diversity to ensure all girls have access to Girl Scouts, and feel like they belong. This includes comprehensive training opportunities for staff, workshops for volunteers, and age-appropriate programming experiences for girls at all levels.

In addition, Girl Scouts of Nassau County has also created an Innovation, Diversity, Equity and Access Lab, which is the staff team that will focus on innovative efforts, both operational and programmatic, for the organization. This will include a range of pilot programs like expanding family engagement experiences, promoting advocacy for girls and fostering mental and physical wellness, art exploration and college and career readiness.

“We are so appreciative of MacKenzie Scott’s gift to Girl Scouts. This is a great accelerator for our ongoing efforts to help girls cultivate the skills and connections to lead in their own communities and globally,” said Sofia Chang, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of USA. “The support from all our donors, including this generous support from MacKenzie Scott, is critical in delivering on our work of reimagination and transformation. We’re excited to prove how her investment in girls will change the world — because when one girl succeeds, we all succeed.”