Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated a record-breaking $20 million to the Champlain Housing Trust in northwest Vermont, marking the largest gift in the organization's nearly four-decade history.
The donation aims to bolster affordable housing efforts in the region by reducing the cost of development without relying on private debt. It will also support initiatives such as expanding homeownership equity programs, addressing homelessness, and enhancing current resident programs, Vermont Public reports.
The donation is the largest in Champlain Housing Trust's nearly four decades of operation, according to a press release.
“Her generosity gives our community the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move the dial on affordable housing right now," CEO Michael Monte said in the press release.
Scott is one of the nation's wealthiest women, holding a 4% stake in Amazon following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019. She has vowed to give away her wealth.