Michael J. Winckler, President and CEO of Goodwill Southeast Georgia, confirmed that Goodwill SEGA received an unsolicited $5 million gift from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.

 “We are humbled by this incredibly generous donation,” Winckler said.

 Goodwill SEGA is one of almost 400 organizations selected to benefit from a portion of $4 billion in funding donated to organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Scott announced the recipients that were selected based on data indicating strong leadership teams and results in the areas of fulfilling basic needs and addressing long-term systemic inequities that have been deepened by the COVID-19 crisis.

 “This gift comes at a period of unprecedented community need,” Winckler said. “We are grateful that MacKenzie Scott is affirming and supporting our work. This generous gift recognizes our commitment to helping individuals achieve a living-wage in high-demand careers.”

 “This is the single largest donation that Goodwill Southeast Georgia has ever received, and it was unsolicited and unexpected so we are working through details with our Board of Directors on how to best use these funds to fulfill our mission and strategic plan.  We are committed to deploying this gift in ways that create the greatest impact in our region,” Winckler said. “We will share more information as our program plans are finalized.”