SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 16, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City-based digital media arts center Spy Hop has received a $3 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
This is the largest gift in Spy Hop’s history, said a news release.
“We are honored by Ms. Scott’s generosity, not just to Spy Hop, but to organizations like ours around the country,” said Spy Hop Executive Director, Kasandra VerBrugghen. “Her stunning gift validates the work our staff does to mentor young people to find their voice, tell their stories and create positive change in their lives and the world. These funds are truly a gift to our community. They will enable us to increase our impact for generations of Spy Hop students. This unrestricted donation comes at a pivotal time for our organization, it gives us the ability to think deeply, dream big, and ultimately create a plan that will guide our organization forward.”
Scott announced her gift to 286 organizations nationwide via a blog post on Medium. “We chose to make relatively large gifts to organizations both to enable their work and as a signal of trust and encouragement, to them and to others,” Scott wrote.
“The work Spy Hop does for the young people in our community is life-changing,” said board chair Nathan Thomas. “As board chair, I am witness to the front lines of the tireless work, passion, and commitment that goes into fulfilling Spy Hop’s mission. Our staff and board are deeply committed to our community and our vision for the future is aspirational. A gift of this magnitude for this organization is a game-changer. The recent opening of Kahlert Youth Media Arts Center along with this gift gives Spy Hop the resources it needs to implement a long-range plan to ensure the organization’s longevity and commitment to positive youth development for Utah youth. We are immensely grateful to Ms. Scott for her faith in us.”
Spy Hop is based at 208 W. 900 South in Salt Lake City.
To learn more about Spy Hop click here.
