In an interview with CNN last November, Jeff Bezos has expressed his intentions to donate a significant portion of his then $124 billion fortune toward combating climate change and promoting global unity. So, does the Amazon founder rank among the Top 10 most charitable Americans in 2022?
Researchers from Invezz.com analyzed the data from The Chronicle of Philanthropy, according to which Bezos ranks only 18th on the list of top 50 American charitable donors of 2022. The whole group donated a total of $16 billion to charity last year, with the first-ranking Bill Gates alone donating over $5 billion.
The Top 10 Most Charitable Americans in 2022 (in millions of USD)
Although he is the third richest individual in the world, Bezos ranked 18th on this list, which puts him behind prominent figures like Elon Musk, Michael Bloomberg, and even his own parents, Jacklyn and Miguel Bezos, who ranked fifth.
Despite their estimated net worth of $30 billion, a fraction of their son’s $124 billion fortune, they made substantial charitable donations totaling $711 million in 2022, meaning that the pair donated 482% more than their son.
Jacklyn and Miguel Bezos have played a crucial role in helping Jeff Bezos become the centibillionaire he is today, as it was his parents who gave him the initial investment for his idea of Amazon.com. Their loan to Jeff was $245,573, a significant sum in 1995. In case they have kept their holdings all these years, Bloomberg estimates their net worth at $30 billion, which is an increase of a staggering 12,000,000%
As Yahoo Finance reports, Bezos’ mother had a significantly tougher road to success compared to her son. While in highschool, she became pregnant with Jeff and subsequently struggled to finish her senior year. Her dreams of finishing college were put on hold, but she continued her education in night school, and had no choice but to bring her son to class with her. After meeting her now-husband and Jeff’s stepfather, Miguel Bezos, her college plans were further delayed. She decided on finally pursuing her own educational dreams only after she and her husband sent their three children to college.
The case of Jeff Bezos and his parents, Jacklyn and Miguel Bezos, provides a powerful narrative on the significance of giving back to society. While Jeff Bezos has publicly expressed his intentions to allocate a portion of his substantial wealth for global causes, the relatively limited scale of his charitable contributions compared to his remarkable fortune draws attention to the profound impact of philanthropy.
On the other hand, Jacklyn and Miguel Bezos have demonstrated an inspiring commitment to giving back, as evidenced by their considerable charitable donations. Their actions highlight the pivotal role that philanthropy plays in fostering positive change and social development, underscoring the transformative influence that giving can have on communities and individuals in need.
Michael Charalambous from Invezz.com said, “These findings shed light on the discrepancy between Bezos’ professed philanthropic intentions and his actual standing on the list of top American donors in 2022, where he ranks a modest 18th. Despite his immense wealth and resources, Bezos’ contributions fall behind those of several notable figures, his parents being the most striking, significantly outranking their centibillionaire son.
It is worth mentioning that Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez recently pledged $100 million towards relief efforts in Maui following the devastating wildfires. It is also worth mentioning that last year, Bezos bought a 14-acre estate on La Perouse Bay, only 20 miles south of the damage zone.
While Jeff Bezos has articulated his commitment to global causes, there is a clear gap between his aspirations and the scale of his charitable actions, which emphasizes the need for increased tangible philanthropic efforts from individuals with considerable financial resources. This story further highlights the powerful impact of giving back to society, underscoring the transformative potential of philanthropy in addressing pressing social issues and fostering positive change.”
