Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $640 million to hundreds of nonprofits this week, including to more than 20 organizations in Southern California.
The Amazon co-founder put out an open call last year for nonprofits to apply for an award of $1 million.
Like many thousands of other nonprofits, Families Forward Learning Center, an early childhood center in Pasadena, decided to put their hat in the ring.
A couple of weeks ago, Elva Sandoval, the group’s executive director, started to check her emails every morning with bated breath. Then, one morning, she got the news.
“At this point, I don’t even recall the exact date, but that morning when I looked at the email and I read it, I just started to cry,” Sandoval said.
Families Forward instead got $2 million after the award amount was expanded, as did hundreds of other organizations.
“We thought we were hoping for a million dollars, and then to find out that it would actually be two million — it was just, this is really going to be transformational for our families,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said her organization, which provides free childcare and other direct services to families, is looking to use that money to expand their offerings, including more mental health services.
