Jacksonville, Fl — Another Jacksonville-area nonprofit has received a major donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has announced a $15 million donation to Wounded Warrior Project - the largest ever gift given by an individual to the Jacksonville-based organization.
The money will help fund lifesaving mental health and brain health programs and services.
“We tackle the most critical needs of our nation’s wounded heroes, with a significant focus of our work targeting mental health and wellness,” said WWP CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Linnington. “We are incredibly humbled and grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generous contribution that will enable us to reach more veterans in need.”
The United Way of NE Florida received a $20 million gift, and Goodwill of NE Florida a $10 million gift, from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation in recent years.
The donation will bolster Wounded Warrior Project’s investments in mental health support for wounded veterans in several ways including its non-clinical emotional
In its annual ‘Warrior Survey’, WWP found that the top three most common mental health issues reported are post-traumatic stress disorder (75%), anxiety (74%), and depression (72%). Nearly 1 in 4 WWP warriors (24.8%) reported suicidal thoughts in the last 12 months.