As communities across the globe struggle to achieve stability, basic human services, and social equity and justice, the announcement of an unprecedented and unsolicited $20 million donation from MacKenzie Scott to United Way Suncoast (UWS) is set to transform our region for years to come.

This gift, the largest in our 96-year history, will be used to meet the growing needs of the most vulnerable in our community, including our ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and it provides an extraordinary opportunity to create positive and lasting change across our community. This population of households, that earn above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to afford a bare-bones household budget, hit record levels in 2020 and this generous support could not have come at a better time.

“Ignited by the generosity of one selfless donor, this gift will have a ripple effect on millions. Overnight, the game has changed. Impact will no longer be measured in years – it will be measured for generations,” said Jessica Muroff, CEO. “This gift is truly transformational. It will allow us to work deeper in our communities, more powerfully leverage our great partnerships and, most importantly, build more pathways to success for families in our communities.”

UWS is already in a multi-year strategic planning phase and that process will help guide the investment strategy as we work closely with our board of directors and others to build an implementation plan to create the greatest impact across the region.

MacKenzie Scott’s generous gift to UWS is part of $4.2 billion that she has donated to 384 organizations over the past four months. To learn more about her philanthropic efforts and how decisions were made, we encourage you to read her blog post.