Focus On Philanthropy: Opportunity For Everyone

credit: Positive Tracks Official Facebook Page

MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, donated $4.2 billion to 400 organizations nationwide in December.

But the Florida woman, who is also the last of her family to retire, isn't the only one who's giving away a lot.

A survey by the Florida Philanthropic Network for the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida found that people in the region, which includes parts of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, gave an average of $30.5 million per year in 2016.

That's down from an average of $45.3 million in 2006, but up from the average of $30.1 million in 2015, reports the Florida Times-Union.

Scott's giving will go to Goodwill Industries of North Florida, which received $10 million; the YMCA of Florida's First Coast received $10 million; and the United Way of Northeast Florida received $20 million.

But Scott's giving isn't the only good news to come out of the recession.

A study by the Community Foundation found that with the baby boomer generation in Northeast Florida retiring, more than $61 billion of wealth will be transferred from their estates to heirs or philanthropic causes in the next 10 years.

"Trust-based philanthropy is an investment in the future for the community," says a United Way representative.

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