It is not often a nonprofit organization wakes up to a call informing them they will be receiving a $25 million unrestricted grant. Thanks to the generosity of MacKenzie Scott, United Way received that call and the single largest donation in the organization’s 80+ year history.
Over 350 cars lined up, some hours early, for a drive-through holiday dinner giveaway at the Elgin Sports Complex Tuesday. “Uniting for the Holidays,” a United Way program sponsored locally by Seigle’s Cabinet Center and the Seigle Family Foundation, provided frozen turkeys and side dishes for 500 families in need during the giveaway, in addition to tote bags with masks and hand sanitizers, backpacks for kids, diapers, children’s books and more.
The United Way of Metropolitan Chicago is getting its biggest gift ever—$25 million, from MacKenzie Scott, a novelist and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Five hundred Elgin-area families will receive dinner for the holidays thanks to the United Way. “Uniting for the Holidays” is billed as a “festive drive-through event” where dinners and other necessities are being distributed to people in need on a first-come, first-served basis.
United Way of Metro Chicago announced this week Scott has donated $25 million, the single largest donation in the organization’s history. “To have this $25 million investment come completely unexpectedly from MacKenzie Scott was just remarkable and overwhelming in what it means for our community,” said Sean Garrett, United Way’s local president & CEO.
MacKenzie Scott has donated a record amount to United Way of Chicago. The philanthropist, and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $25 million to the organization. That is the single largest donation in the organization’s history.
United Way is building back a strong Chicago region with a goal of helping communities prosper at the neighborhood level. They are deeply committed to healing families meet basic needs to families can grow and thrive. Interview with Kimberlee Guenther, United Way of Metro Chicago.
During a time when so many people are struggling to buy the basics, some families may find there’s just not enough money for Christmas gifts. Betsy Hughes, senior vice president and chief development officer for the United Way of Metro Chicago, spoke about the difficulties of raising money and serving so many people during a pandemic.
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago President and CEO, Sean Garrett, and Carlos Nelson, Executive Director of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, talk with WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore about how non-profit groups—and others—are coping with the Coronavirus.
Christmas music played in the background as cars drove through with kids extending their arms, laughing, to be handed Thanksgiving dinners, backpacks, candy and toys Thursday night in Palatine. The line to get into the parking lot of the nonprofit agency Partners for Our Communities was at least 35 cars deep, as local families drove by to pick up donations as part of the “Uniting for the Holidays” program from United Way of Metro Chicago.