Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott recently surprised the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative with a $4 million gift, writes Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza for WHYY.

This is the largest grant the Philadelphia workforce development organization has received.

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative prepares unemployed residents to apply for an entry-level job in a local high-wage industry. Graduates of the program earn an average of $21.71 per hour and often work in vocational trades, manufacturing, and health care.

Scott, an Amazon shareholder who has donated billions to charities since her divorce from founder Jeff Bezos, awarded this grant through her charitable organization, Yield Giving.

There are no strings attached to how the money is spent, leaving the door open for the nonprofit to support more workers while exploring and experimenting with new ideas.

“It allows us to experiment and innovate to leverage the investment funds that we already have to grow in a way that feels authentic,” said Cait Garozzo, executive director of the University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. 

In the last year, the nonprofit has worked with 200 individuals, with about 91 percent having snagged jobs because of their experience with the organization.

Read more about how the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative creates employment opportunities for the local community in WHYY.

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