Jeff Bezos will gift $100 million to actress Eva Longoria and Admiral Bill McRaven as part of the Amazon founder’s annual prize to individuals who contribute to society significantly.
The Jeff Bezos Courage and Civility Award amounted to $50 million for both, Longoria and McRaven, to be used to help those in need. Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, have distributed the award yearly since 2021 (though Bezos did not present an award last year). Previous recipients include Van Jones, José Andrés and Dolly Parton.
Longoria, known best for her work on Desperate Housewives, founded the Eva Longoria Foundation in 2012 with the stated mission “to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship.” Their outreach includes work in STEM education, parent engagement, mentorship and entrepreneurship.
A retired four-star Admiral, McRaven has also served as chancellor of the University of Texas system. Per the university’s website, McRaven “spearheaded the creation of the Preservation of the Force & Family initiative to ensure the mental, spiritual and physical well-being of those who serve, as well as their families.”