So much good has come from the end of one marriage.

For MacKenzie Scott, divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019 made her the third-wealthiest woman in America with a net worth estimated today around $36 billion. Scott has pledged to give away most of her wealth to charity, and LGBTQ equality is a major focus of that philanthropy. 

On March 19, Scott announced she was giving $640 million to 361 community based nonprofit organizations, dozens of which advocate for LGBTQ causes.

Eleven Florida based organizations received gifts, including the Florida Immigrant Coalition, which counts LGBTQ rights groups among its broad network of more than 80 members.

“We have no doubts that by helping eligible immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship, Yield Giving is building a better future for all who call Florida a home, including our neighbors who are LGBTQ immigrants,” said Renata R. Bozzetto, the coalition’s deputy director. 

The $2 million will be allocated to FLIC’s naturalization program, which supports eligible legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens. It is estimated one million Floridians are currently eligible to apply for naturalization, said Bozzetto.

Locally, Take Stock in Children Palm Beach, a youth development organization in West Palm Beach that provides college scholarships to low income students, received $1 million.

In Broward County, Bridge to Hope, which offers food security, nutrition and youth development programs, received $2 million. 

In Miami-Dade County, four organizations: Overton Youth Center, Catalyst Miami, MUJER and Branches received gifts from Yield Giving. 

Elsewhere, LGBTQ organizations gifted by Scott include the LGBTQ Community Center of Greater Cleveland, the LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Sacramento LGBT Community Center, OutFront Minnesota, EDGE New Jersey, Carolinas Care Partnership and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. 

More than 6,000 nonprofits applied for a gift from Yield Giving. Scott called this year’s recipients, “vital agents of change.”