๐ฅ๐ค Fire for Maui, Bezos’ $100M Pledge Waka Where?
โฌ๏ธ Pidgin โฌ๏ธ โฌ๏ธ Black American Slang โฌ๏ธ English
Oya, make una listen! ๐บ Today, we get one gbege story wey concern Jeff Bezos and him $100 million wey e promise to help Maui after di heavy wildfire wey happen for August. But di gbege be say, e no clear where dis plenty money don waka go!
Bezos, wey be di oga kpatakpata for Amazon, and him fiancรฉe Lauren Sanchez, bin promise dis big money, but so far, na only $15.5 million dem don drop through di Bezos Maui Fund. And wetin dey surprise be say, Bezos’ mouthpiece no wan talk who collect dis money. Local officials and nonprofits for Maui just dey wonder and confuse about where di rest money dey. ๐ค๐ธ
No be today Bezos start to dey do yanga with him giving heart. Remember di $10 billion climate pledge, or di big donations wey e dey give him celebrity friends? And how e talk say e go give away most of him wealth? All na big talk with small action.
Compared to dat, Bezos’ ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, don show new level for giving. Since dem divorce for 2019, she don give more than $16.5 billion and she dey open about who dey collect am on her website. Bezos, on di other hand, don give more than $3 billion, but e still far from di ogbonge amounts e talk say e go give.
Benjamin Soskis from Urban Institute talk say Bezos’ style be like “maximum publicity with minimum accountability.” Legally, donors no need to tell people where their money dey go except na from tax-exempt organization. But, Soskis believe say Bezos suppose dey more open, considering di kind attention e dey get.
Bezos’ mouthpiece talk say di remaining $84.5 million wey dem promise for Maui go dey distributed “for di coming years,” but di full story no clear.
Bezos dey always do like JJC with him promises. Him $10 billion commitment for climate change fight for 2020 na same way, no clear plan on how di money go dey used or over wetin time. E take nine months to even make di first donations. Him Courage & Civility Award na same, giving $100 million grants to Van Jones, Jose Andres, and Dolly Parton to share give other nonprofits, without any serious accountability.
Bezos’ future plans for charity sef no clear. For 2022, e tell CNN say e plan to give away most of him then-$124 billion fortune, but e no give details about who go collect or when.
After di Maui wildfire wey claim like 100 lives and leave thousands without house, Bezos and Sanchez come make dis big pledge. Sanchez talk for Instagram say di money go help Maui “stand gidigba again.” But, months don pass and how dem go share di money still be like film.
State Senator Angus McKelvey dey vex about di lack of information and how dem no dey work together. Trisha Kehaulani Watson from โAina Momona nonprofit never see any of di money, and she no hear of any other nonprofits wey don see am.
Big nonprofits wey dey active for Maui after di fire, like Maui United Way and di Peopleโs Fund of Maui, also talk say dem never chop from Bezos and Sanchez money.
Some people dey think say maybe di Hawaiโi Community Foundation don collect di pledge. Dem don raise over $177 million for their Maui Strong Fund, but even dem no sure about where Bezos’ pledge dey, although dem collect $2 million donation from Bezos’ parents’ foundation for September.
Bezos and Sanchez, wey get property for Maui’s La Perouse Bay, no be di only big people wey promise to help. Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson launch di Peopleโs Fund of Maui with initial $5 million each. Scott sef give $5 million to di Hawaiโi Community Foundation.
So, wetin go happen next? We all dey wait to see if Bezos’ big money promise go turn to real help for Maui. For now, di people still dey rebuild their lives, dey hope say di support go land soon. ๐๐ด
Make una hold on for more tori as e dey hot for dis mata! ๐ค๐ฅ
NOW IN BLACK AMERICAN SLANG
๐ฅ๐ค Maui’s Burning Question: Where’s That $100M Bezos Said He’d Drop?
Hey, y’all! ๐บ Let’s dive into something juicy today. We’re talking about Jeff Bezos and that huge $100 million he said he’d throw down to help Maui after those wild fires last August. But guess what? Nobody knows where all that cash ended up!
So, Bezos, the top dog over at Amazon, and his fiancรฉe Lauren Sanchez, made this big promise. But get this, so far, they’ve only let loose $15.5 million through the Bezos Maui Fund. And here’s the real tea: Bezos’ rep is staying hush-hush about where that money went. Folks like local officials and nonprofits in Maui are left scratching their heads, wondering about the rest of that dough. ๐ค๐ธ
Now, this ain’t the first time Bezos has been kinda shady with his giving. Y’all remember that $10 billion he said he’d put up for the climate? Or those fat checks he was writing to his celeb friends? And talking about giving away most of his wealth? All those big announcements, but the details? Slim to none.
Now, if we’re talking about Bezos’ ex, MacKenzie Scott, she’s out here setting a whole new bar for giving back. Since they split in 2019, she’s given away over $16.5 billion and she ain’t shy about who’s getting it – it’s all on her website. Bezos, on the flip side, has given more than $3 billion, but that’s barely scratching the surface of what he said he’d do.
Benjamin Soskis from the Urban Institute calls Bezos’ style “maximum publicity with minimum accountability.” Legally, big spenders like him don’t have to spill where their money’s going, unless it’s coming out of a tax-exempt org. But Soskis thinks someone like Bezos, getting all that spotlight, should be a little more open with the details.
Bezos’ spokesperson says that the rest of that $84.5 million they promised for Maui is gonna be handed out “in the coming years,” but nobody’s got the lowdown on that yet.
Bezos has a history of keeping things on the low with his big promises. Like that $10 billion for climate change in 2020 – details were thin, not much info on how he’d use that money or when. It took almost nine months before he started cutting those first checks. His Courage & Civility Award is just as vague, giving $100 million to folks like Van Jones, Jose Andres, and Dolly Parton to hand out to other nonprofits, but without tight oversight.
And about Bezos’ future giving plans? Still unclear. Back in 2022, he told CNN he planned to give away most of his then-$124 billion fortune, but didn’t drop any hints on who might be getting that cash or when.
After Maui got hit hard by those wildfires, taking about 100 lives and leaving thousands without homes, Bezos and Sanchez stepped up with this grand pledge. Sanchez even hit up Instagram, saying their cash would help Maui “bounce back.” But months later, and folks are still in the dark about where that money’s at.
State Senator Angus McKelvey’s feeling let down by the lack of info and teamwork. Trisha Kehaulani Watson from the nonprofit โAina Momona hasn’t seen a dime, and hasn’t heard of any other group that has.
Big-time nonprofits that were all in helping Maui after the fire, like Maui United Way and the Peopleโs Fund of Maui, also say they haven’t seen any of that Bezos and Sanchez money.
Some thought maybe the Hawaiโi Community Foundation got a piece of Bezos’ pledge. They’ve raised over $177 million for their Maui Strong Fund, but even they’re not sure if they’re getting a cut from Bezos, though they did get a $2 million donation from Bezos’ folks in September.
Bezos and Sanchez, who got a spot in Maui’s La Perouse Bay, aren’t the only heavy hitters saying they’d help out. Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson kicked off the Peopleโs Fund of Maui with $5 million each. Scott also dropped $5 million on the Hawaiโi Community Foundation.
So what’s the deal now? We’re all waiting to see if Bezos’ big promise turns into real help for Maui. For now, the island’s folks are pushing forward with their recovery, hoping that support comes through real soon. ๐๐ด
Keep it locked here for more updates on this story as it unfolds! ๐ค๐ฅ
NOW IN ENGLISH
๐ฅ๐ค Mystery in Maui: Where’s Bezos’ $100M Pledge After the Wildfires?
Hello, everyone! ๐บ Today we’re diving into a big story revolving around Jeff Bezos and his $100 million pledge to assist Maui in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires last August. But here’s the twist: there’s no clear indication of where this massive amount of money has gone!
Bezos, the big boss of Amazon, along with his fiancรฉe Lauren Sanchez, promised this substantial sum. However, to date, they’ve only contributed $15.5 million through the Bezos Maui Fund. And what’s more? Bezos’ spokesperson is keeping mum about the recipients of these funds. Local officials and nonprofits in Maui are scratching their heads, puzzled about the remainder of the money. ๐ค๐ธ
This isn’t the first time Bezos has been somewhat elusive with his charitable acts. Recall his $10 billion climate pledge, or those hefty donations to his celebrity friends? Plus, his statements about donating the bulk of his wealth? All these were grand announcements with scant details.
In comparison, Bezos’ ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, has been setting a new benchmark in philanthropy. Since their 2019 divorce, she has donated over $16.5 billion and transparently lists the recipients on her website. Bezos, meanwhile, has donated more than $3 billion, but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to the vast amounts he’s pledged to give away.
Benjamin Soskis from the Urban Institute characterizes Bezos’ approach as “maximum publicity with minimum accountability.” While donors aren’t legally obligated to disclose where their money goes unless it’s from a tax-exempt organization, Soskis argues that someone like Bezos, who garners so much attention, should offer more transparency.
Bezos’ spokesperson has stated that the remaining $84.5 million pledged for Maui would be doled out “in the coming years,” yet the specifics are still vague.
Bezos has a track record of being rather cryptic with his pledges. His $10 billion commitment to combat climate change in 2020 was similarly indefinite, with sparse details on the application of the funds or the timeline involved. It took nearly nine months to initiate the first disbursements. His Courage & Civility Award has been just as opaque, with $100 million grants awarded to Van Jones, Jose Andres, and Dolly Parton to redistribute to other nonprofits, without stringent oversight.
Bezos’ future philanthropic endeavors remain unclear as well. In 2022, he mentioned to CNN his plan to donate the majority of his then-$124 billion fortune, yet he provided no specifics about the potential recipients or a timeline.
Following the Maui wildfires, which claimed about 100 lives and left thousands homeless, Bezos and Sanchez made their grand pledge. Sanchez indicated in an Instagram post that the funds would help Maui “recover and rebuild.” However, months have passed, and the allocation of these funds remains shrouded in mystery.
State Senator Angus McKelvey has voiced his disappointment over the lack of clarity and collaboration. Trisha Kehaulani Watson from the nonprofit โAina Momona has neither seen any of the funds nor heard of any other nonprofits that have.
Key nonprofits active in Maui’s post-fire recovery, such as Maui United Way and the Peopleโs Fund of Maui, have also reported no receipt of funds from Bezos and Sanchez.
There was speculation that the Hawaiโi Community Foundation might have been the recipient of the pledge. They’ve raised over $177 million for their Maui Strong Fund, but they, too, are unsure about Bezos’ pledged funds, although they did receive a $2 million donation from Bezos’ parents’ foundation in September.
Bezos and Sanchez, who own property in Maui’s La Perouse Bay, are not the only wealthy individuals who’ve committed to helping. Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne โThe Rockโ Johnson initiated the Peopleโs Fund of Maui with initial contributions of $5 million each. Scott also donated $5 million to the Hawaiโi Community Foundation.
So, what’s next? We’re all eager to see if Bezos’ significant financial promise will translate into tangible aid for Maui. In the meantime, the island’s residents continue with their recovery and rebuilding efforts, hopeful that the much-needed support will come through soon. ๐๐ด
Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on this evolving story! ๐ค๐ฅ