MacKenzie Scott Donates $20M to Active Minds to Combat Youth Mental Health Crisis

The donation, announced Thursday, is the largest single gift in Active Minds' 20-year history. The organization, which works with colleges and high schools to reduce stigma and encourage students to seek help, said the funds will expand its reach to more campuses and support new digital tools.

Active Minds founder and CEO Alison Malmon said the gift will allow the group to double the number of schools it serves, from 1,000 to 2,000, over the next three years. The organization also plans to develop a peer-to-peer support app and train more student leaders.

Scott, who has given away more than $16 billion to nonprofits since 2019, has focused on organizations addressing mental health and youth issues. Her giving often comes with no restrictions, allowing recipients to use funds as they see fit.

The donation arrives amid rising rates of anxiety and depression among young people, with the U.S. Surgeon General declaring a youth mental health crisis in 2021. Active Minds said the funding will help meet growing demand for its programs, which include campus chapters, online resources, and awareness campaigns.

Malmon said the gift is 'transformative' and will help the organization 'meet this moment with urgency and scale.' Active Minds, founded in 2003 after Malmon's brother died by suicide, has chapters at more than 1,000 schools and reaches over 1 million students annually.