A Generous Heart during COVID
We have been in a world of pandemics and crises from the year 2020 up until the present. A lot of people, especially the poor, are greatly affected by Covid19. Many people have transitioned from working in the office to working from home, and students have transitioned from a face-to-face class set-up to virtual classes.
As the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the global landscape, it exposed deep imbalances across societies and economies. Businesses large and small were disrupted—many forced to close permanently—while families faced rising unemployment and uncertainty. Yet within this turbulence, digital platform businesses such as Amazon experienced significant growth, meeting the urgent demand for online access to essential goods and services. This unexpected divergence became a defining feature of the pandemic economy.
#One of the most striking responses to this divide came from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Acknowledging the pandemic’s devastating toll, which she described as a “wrecking ball” to those already vulnerable, Scott accelerated her charitable contributions. Her nearly $6 billion in donations during 2020 marked one of the most extraordinary individual giving efforts in recent memory. Beyond the numbers, what stood out was the clarity and humility with which she addressed growing inequality.
Commentators like Melissa Berman, CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, noted that Scott’s efforts constituted one of the largest distributions by a living donor to working charities. Having signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, Scott’s commitment to giving away the majority of her wealth reflects a broader shift in how philanthropic leadership can respond to crisis—not just with statements, but with decisive, timely action. Her example serves as a reminder that in times of global hardship, generosity is not only admirable but necessary.
At the Mary K. Yap Foundation, we reflect on such moments through the lens of our Generous Hearts commentary series. Scott’s response to the pandemic echoes the values we hold close: that acts of giving can—and should—be rooted in empathy, urgency, and meaningful impact. In honoring individuals like her, we affirm a belief long central to our work—that hope often arrives through the hands of those willing to give without expecting anything in return.
