The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
It’s a rare instance of cooperation between one of Wall Street’s favorite charities and a democratic socialist mayor who once said he didn’t believe billionaires should exist. Robin Hood, one of New York’s largest charitable organizations—and one of Wall Street’s favorites—announced it had received a $100 million gift from the Bezos family, the parents of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The donation establishes the Jackie Bezos Endowment for Early Childhood, which will prioritize funding for education and early childhood development. It includes a pledge of an additional $25 million, subject to a match, for a total of $150 million. Jackie Bezos, Jeff Bezos’ mother, is a former board member of Robin Hood. The donation goes to a cause New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has long advocated for: expanded childhood education. After campaigning on the issue throughout the Democratic primary and into the general election last year, the mayor announced last month that 2-K programming, free early care and education starting at age 2, would be free and universally accessible year-round. While the funding from the parents of the billionaire Amazon founder may align with Mamdani’s goals, the mayor is no friend to the ultrawealthy. Last month, the mayor triggered a public back-and-forth with Citadel CEO Ken Griffin after releasing a video in front of the billionaire’s $238 million Central Park South apartment to announce his pied-à-terre tax, a tax on second luxury homes. Shortly after the video’s release, Citadel’s COO, Gerald Beeson, hinted in a letter to Citadel employees the company may not move forward with a Midtown construction project. And last week, the mayor skipped the Met Gala, saying he was doing so to make the city more affordable. Other celebrities like Mark Ruffalo and Olivia Rodrigo skipped the event, directly attributing their absence to Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez-Bezos sponsoring the glitzy event. Where the city stands with