You are reading

Long Island City Organization Gets $10 Million From MacKenzie Scott of Amazon Fame

The Fortune Society Employment Services Program Photo: Facebook

March 21, 2022 By Christian Murray

A Long Island City-based organization that helps people who have been incarcerated get back on their feet has received a $10 million award care of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott—of Amazon fame.

The Fortune Society, a non-profit organization based at 29-76 Northern Blvd., was given the funds by Scott in recognition of its work helping people integrate back into society after being incarcerated.

Scott was married to Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and when they divorced in 2019 she received $36 billion in Amazon stock. That year, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a charitable-giving campaign where participants promise to give away most of their wealth to charity over their lifetime or in their will.

“With this generous gift, MacKenzie Scott has chosen to invest in Fortune and in the inherent potential in people, regardless of their pasts,” said JoAnne Page, president and CEO of The Fortune Society.

“This grant is an important acknowledgement not only of our success in supporting justice-impacted people with crucial services and innovative housing, but also of our advocacy leadership in advancing justice and equity. We are enormously grateful to MacKenzie Scott for this grant, which will further our mission to strengthen the fabric of our communities.”

The Fortune Society, founded in 1967, is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit service and advocacy organizations, serving approximately 9,000 impacted New Yorkers in a typical year. The organization provides job training programs, job placement services and housing services. In addition, it also provides substance abuse treatment, medical assistance and transitional services such as the Rikers Island Discharge Enhancement (R.I.D.E.) program,

The non profit operates out of its Long Island City center and two facilities in Harlem. The organization is nationally recognized for developing model programs that help people with criminal justice histories rebuild their lives.

“Fortune’s work has become more important throughout its 55-year history as incarceration rates have increased, most heavily burdening communities of color disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system,” said Dennis Kozlowski, Board Chair at The Fortune Society,

“MacKenzie Scott’s gift recognizes the efforts Fortune makes to not only mitigate but to eliminate the long-term harms that mass incarceration inflicts on individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Catch the fall vibe at these western Queens breweries

Sep. 3, 2025 By Jessica Militello

September rings in the start of Oktoberfest from mid-September through October, featuring special brews, fun events and more fall fun. Western Queens is filled with breweries to enjoy seasonal brews, fall flavors and the start of cooler weather as Autumn approaches, making it a perfect time to meet up with friends at these local spaces.

Op-Ed | Four years after Hurricane Ida, Queens deserves real climate resilience

Sep. 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas

Four years ago, Hurricane Ida tore through our neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights, leaving behind devastation we will never forget. We lost neighbors to the floodwaters. Families saw their homes destroyed, their basements wiped out, their lives upended. Immigrant families—so many of them undocumented—were hit the hardest, often excluded from relief altogether. Ida was not just a storm; it was a wake-up call.

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.