OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Tuesday, Habitat for Humanity of Omaha announced that it received an $11 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Scott — who was formerly married to Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos and is a billionaire herself — has donated massive amounts of her wealth since 2019, and is a signee of Warren Buffett's Giving Pledge. Her personal approach to philanthropy operates on the idea of decentralizing wealth in order to address global issues, meaning her donations benefit a wide range of organizations that then determine the best approach to allocate funds for their solutions.
“This donation allows local gifts to go even further to help families in our community have a stable, affordable place to call home,” said Habitat Omaha CEO Amanda Brewer in a press release. “We can build more, serve more and accomplish more when we work together.”
The $11 million donation for Habitat Omaha is an unrestricted gift and is part of a broader $436 million gift to Habitat International that will benefit 84 of its affiliates. National initiatives of the Habitat for Humanity will aim to "dismantle systemic racism in housing" and increase Black homeownership throughout the nation, while also advocating for policy and legislation to enable more affordable housing access.
At the national level and in the Omaha area, Scott's philanthropic donations are intended to create affordable housing, and Habitat Omaha said it will also help families in the metro to become first-time home-buyers.
“The City of Omaha and Habitat for Humanity are good partners,” said Mayor Jean Stothert in the Habitat Omaha press release. “This gift will expand our commitment to affordable housing. We are grateful that national and local donors work with Habitat and the city to make a significant difference for families in our community."
Amid Omaha's housing crisis, an estimated 80,000 units of affordable housing are needed to address the needs of the current population.
Habitat Omaha receives less than 1% of annual funding from Habitat International, meaning it is largely reliant on donations from other businesses, organizations and individuals. The local affiliate was established in 1984 with a service area that includes Burt, Sarpy and Washington counties, as well as Waterloo, and. Beyond affordable housing efforts and individual homeownership assistance to families, it also performs home improvement, demolition and neighborhood revitalization. To learn more or volunteer with Habitat Omaha, visit this website.
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