In 2022, Mercy Housing Northwest and its partner PeaceHealth opened the Columbia Heights affordable housing community in southwest Washington state. A $25 million donation Mercy Housing has received will help support Mercy Housing communities like this one.
Denver-based Mercy Housing has received a $25 million gift from the Yield Giving Foundation, headed by MacKenzie Scott. Scott is a philanthropist who is the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Mercy Housing's gift comes as it launches its 2024-2026 strategic business plan. The affordable housing provider will use the dollars to further priorities covered in that plan. This will include investing in Mercy Housing's dedicated workforce, catalytic growth opportunities and long-term strategic investments, including its recently established endowment.
Guerrero
Mercy Housing President and CEO Ismael Guerrero said in a release that the gift will help to bring about "a healthier, more equitable society. Affordable housing is key to promoting equality by addressing basic needs and creating opportunities for communities to thrive."
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1981, Mercy Housing partners and collaborates with others to provide affordable housing to people most in need. The organization preserves, finances and manages affordable housing communities across 21 states. The organization also provides programs and services to support the tens of thousands of residents of Mercy Housing communities so they can achieve stability and overcome barriers to success.
According to Forbes, shortly after announcing the terms of her divorce publicly in 2019, Scott signed a giving pledge committing to donate at least half of her wealth over the course of her lifetime. Forbes says she is worth about $34.5 billion. Her Yield Giving Foundation website says so far Yield has given over $16.5 billion to more than 1,900 nonprofit teams "to use as they see fit for the benefit of others."