The founder of Amazon and world’s wealthiest man, Jeff Bezos, has gifted the sum of $200 million to CNN contributor Van Jones and chef José Andrés.
While speaking at a recent press conference after he came back from space, Bezos said he planned to give $100 million each to Jones and Andres, and noted that both men were free to spend the money on “what they want.”
He said: “They can give it all to their charity, or they can share the wealth. It is up to them.”
He made it known that the money was tied to a “surprise” philanthropic initiative he wanted to announce, which seeks to recognize those that have “demonstrated courage” and made efforts to unify the divisive world.
Bezos said: “We need unifiers and not vilifiers. We need people who argue hard and act hard for what they believe. But they do that always with civility and never ad hominem attacks. Unfortunately, we live in a world where this is too often not the case. But we do have role models.”
While accepting the award, Jones said: “Sometimes dreams come true. You bet on me and I appreciate it.”
While talking further, he said the award was money for him to “give to others who have a similar spirit.”
In the same vein, Andrés, a chef, who has made several attempts to feed the needy around the world, disclosed that the award itself “cannot feed the world on its own,” noting that it was a “start of a new chapter.”
