MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has donated $15 million to the Mat-Su Health Foundation to help further its controversial equity agenda in the Mat-Su.
Scott is one of the wealthiest women in the world, and an avid donor to organizations and political groups associated with abortion, LGBTQ politics, critical race theory, decolonization and radical environmentalism. She has also contributed millions to groups like Faith in Public Life, which work to undermine religious freedoms. Earlier this year, she gave a staggering $275 million to Planned Parenthood – the largest provider of abortions in the United States.
Scott’s donations are atypical in that they are generally unrestricted contributions. The Mat-Su Health Foundation, which is now engaged in controversial programs that disseminate critical race theory ideas across Alaska, did not say how the massive donation would be spent.
“This donation came as a huge surprise since it was unsolicited,” said MSHF Board Chair, Lebron McPhail in a statement on the group’s website. “We are grateful for this generous gift from Ms. Scott. It’s meaningful recognition of the work we are doing to improve the way systems work for Mat-Su residents and to eliminate the underlying causes of health inequities.”
President and CEO of MSHF Elizabeth Ripley said it’s “too soon to identify specific uses for the money,” but pledged to “regranting these dollars in alignment with our theory of change.”
In 2021, MSHF awarded $15.4 million in grants to health and educational groups across the Mat-Su. In 2022, the group expects to give away another $17 million in grants and scholarships.
The Mat-Su Health Foundation, which has been mired in controversy over the past year, is already of the most powerful and well-funded philanthropic organizations in Alaska.
Earlier this year it was discovered that the Foundation was intimately involved in helping fund a scheme by the Palmer Chamber of Commerce to rebrand and remove the word “colony” from Colony Days and Colony Christmas. The Health Foundation is also pushing a divisive educational program called “Braided Conversations,” which disseminates many of the ideas contained in critical race theory, an ideology that portrays America as a fundamentally racist nation that is rooted in systemic and ongoing racism.
With hundreds of millions of dollars at its disposal, the Health Foundation issues millions of dollars in local grants to local organizations that share its agenda.
In recent years, the Foundation has ballooned its assets to almost a quarter of a billion dollars by capturing 35% of corporate profits from the patients of the hospital who are subject to some of the highest fees for care in the entire country. The Foundation redistributes a portion of its wealth to programs that its committees deem worthy. The Foundation wields tremendous power and influence on institutions that rely on grant funding to operate, or expand.
This year, however, several prominent figures with former ties to the Mat-Su Health Foundation have spoken out against the direction the organization has taken in recent years.
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Scott Johannes and Craig Thorn have both served as chairman of the board for Mat-Su Health Foundation. Earlier this year, the men said the organization has embraced an increasingly leftist ideology that focuses more on divisive social issues than improving the health of Mat-Su residents.
The Colony Days rebranding dispute is just the latest instance of the Mat-Su Health Foundation wading into hot-button social controversies while expressing either disregard for majority-held views or disdain for their decisions and beliefs.
Earlier this year, Mat-Su Health Foundation President Elizabeth Ripley claimed the reason most Mat-Su residents have declined experimental Covid shots is because of irrational and emotional fixations on anti-vaccine “tribalism.”
Given the Health Foundation’s increasingly leftist political bent, a growing number of conservatives in the Mat-Su have decided to become members of the Foundation with the aim of reforming the organization as voting members. Becoming a member of the Mat-Su Health Foundation is relatively simple. Membership is open to Mat-Su residents who are 18 years or older. The application entails a $5 fee.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to become a voting member of the Mat-Su Health Foundation.
— To contact Mat-Su Health Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Ripley, email eripley@healthymatsu.org or call (907) 373-2805
— Click here to contact other members of the Mat-Su Health Foundation administration.
— Click here to see who serves on the Mat-Su Health Foundation Board of Directors.
— Click here to apply to serve on the Mat-Su Health Foundation Board of Directors.
14 Comments
Maybe the Mat-Su bough need to restrict this organizations charter. How about a vote to get rid of them all together? Send them packing to democratic Anchorage.
So you support government overreach?
Ummm, Neil, that sounds a bit like communism. Restricting ideas and thoughts of others that we disagree with?
Neil, you are very good at attracting idiotic leftist rebuttals that use words that they don’t understand.
Wanting to lessen the effects of damnable ideals of the religions of atheism and secularism who’s sacraments are killing the unborn, sexually mutilating the young, and ignoring science and scientific psychology is attempting to salvage sane society. It is laudable.
Makes me wonder if Elizabeth Ripley and Dr. Zink are Soros-placed minions to establish the foundation in order to assist in the decline of Alaska? I see a few members on the board that have been in prior positions that would have “prepared them nicely” for a board seat of a foundation that probably was “encouraged” by the take-down crew. What a better way to get seated in the community? Mental health issues are horrendous here in Alaska. The long winters along with the mental health-damaging drugs being given to patients, and proprogating the “me me me” attitude make mental health care a necessity; but, this mental health care that the Mat-Su Health Foundation is pushing is going to get us all like frogs in a boiling pot of water!
“MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has donated $15 million to the Mat-Su Health Foundation to help further its controversial equity agenda in the Mat-Su.” Red flag anyone? What is in this for anyone outside of our state?
Follow the Money! Look at who they give grants too….look at the millions “given” to consultants pushing the liberal ideology. The way to change the direction of the organization BACK to supporting all residents of May-Su is to focus on the Articles of Incorporation and By Laws. The Board members were “hand-picked” to support the divisive political agenda. Go to guidestar.com to find tax filings which show the financial information….decide for yourself if this “Public Charity” is fulfilling the requirements of its tax-exempt status.
@chris emond and @joel Davidson, I’ve asked you both a couple times to provide a source for your claim that the Mat-Su has the highest healthcare costs on the country. Haven’t heard back. Your silence is making me question the validity of that claim.
Also, I think the grant is less about politics, I’m assuming Mackenzie Scott doesn’t have a whole lot to do in the Valley, and more about trying to make the lives of children and families better. Seems like a noble grant.
Chris, you sound really passionate about your displeasure with the Foundation. I’m curious why you dislike an organization that does what it can to make lives better? From what I’ve read about the organization (on many different platforms) its aim is to create a healthier person/family. Their goals don’t seem to be about indoctrination, unless you feel like helping the less-fortunate or historically oppressed are bad values. What’s your beef?
Some comments lack credibility and merely read like vapid leftist shill-speak. Huge outside money with demands to increase racism against white people, sexual mutilation of young people, killing the unborn members of families, and attempting to distort good psychology and science to confuse the gullible and promote the dis-integration of mind, body (you know, real science), and spirit is the opposite of health and healthy families. It is diabolical, twisted, cruel, and stupid. Pro tip. Biology is an actual science.
It’s all a clear onslaught with evil intent!
How about a $ 1000 cap from outside donors
The leftist’s use of the word “Equity” is a clear reference to their atheistic faith in Marxism.
MacKenzie Scott is 100% liberal agenda political left wing agendas in the background !!!!