Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has donated a whopping $100 million USD to the Obama Foundation as per ABC. Former US president Barack Obama’s foundation confirms that it has received $US100 million from Bezos which happens to be the largest individual contribution it has ever received from anyone.
According to The Obama Foundation, the gift from Mr. Bezos was intended “to help expand the scope of programming that reaches emerging leaders” in the United States as well as around the world.
According to the foundation, The donation is in honour of Congressman John Lewis, who happens to be a hero of the US civil rights movement of the 1960s who passed away last year.
“Freedom fighters deserve a special place in the pantheon of heroes, and I can’t think of a more fitting person to honour with this gift than John Lewis, a great American leader and a man of extraordinary decency and courage,” Jeff Bezos said in the statement released by the foundation.
“I’m thrilled to support President and Mrs. Obama and their Foundation in its mission to train and inspire tomorrow’s leaders.”
ABC confirms that the construction of Mr. Obama’s project is expected to cost about $US830 million and roughly be completed by around 2025.
Since quitting his role of CEO in Amazon this year, Mr Bezos has turned his sights to focusing more of his attention on philanthropy.
Last year he promised to spend $US10 billion by 2030 to enhance climate change efforts through his Bezos Earth Fund as per ABC. Similarly, a medical center affiliated with New York University called NYU Langone Health revealed it had received $US166 million from Mr Bezos and his family. NYU Langone Health revealed that the donation would be used to help “with the health and wellness of diverse populations” in Brooklyn.
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