Actress and entrepreneur Eva Longoria and retired Navy admiral and former chancellor of the University of Texas System Bill McRaven will each receive a $50 million prize from the Bezos Courage and Civility Award given by tech billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez.
According to Deadline, the couple is giving away a total of $100 million as part of Bezos' annual prize to persons who make significant contributions to society.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Give $50 Million Each to Eva Longoria, Bill McRaven
The Bezos Courage and Civility Award is given to individuals who try to find solutions to complicated problems, strive to unite, and embrace civility, and this year's recipients are Eva Longoria and Bill McRaven.
Bezos' award started in 2001, with the $100 million prize first going to CNN commentator and activist lawyer Van Jones, who served as founding CEO of the REFORM Alliance and Dream Corps.
Chef Jose Andres, who launched World Central Kitchen, which provides food in the aftermath of disasters, received $100 million in 2021. Country music star and philanthropist Dolly Parton was the 2022 recipient. There was no award in 2023.
Initiatives of Eva Longoria and Bill McRaven
Bill McRaven said in a statement that he would use the money to educate the children of deceased veterans, particularly those in the special operations community. He would also focus on the mental health and brain performance of veterans and help develop future military leaders through education.
"The opportunity to use this incredible gift to help veterans and their families is the dream of a lifetime and I am so grateful to Lauren and Jeff for giving me this opportunity," McRaven told CNN.
On the other hand, Eva Longoria, known for her role as trophy wife Gabrielle Solis in ABC's drama "Desperate Housewives," will focus on education and entrepreneurship in Latino communities.
The actress has established the Eva Longoria Foundation to connect Latinos and Latinas in lower-income areas with peer mentors. Longoria also has a start-up fund for Latino-owned small businesses.
"Of course, I am honored and thrilled personally, but I am even more excited about the impact I think we can have on this country through/by investing in the strength of the Latino community," Longoria told CNN.
"Latinos in the US are a rapidly growing group with extraordinary potential, but we disproportionately lack the infrastructure opportunity we need and I'm excited to invest in that opportunity," she added.
Join the Conversation