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Sunday, April 1, 2012

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Note to SPS: Ask Amazon And Vulcan to be Good Civic Partners

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Note to SPS: Ask Amazon And Vulcan to be Good Civic Partners:


Note to SPS: Ask Amazon And Vulcan to be Good Civic Partners

Today's front page headline story in the Times is about Amazon, "a virtual no-show in hometown philanthropy." 

The story points out that while it even took the Gates Foundation awhile to start opening its vast pockets, Amazon still hasn't.  Their model?

"Our core business activities are probably the most important thing we do to contribute, as well as our employment in the area," Bezos told The Times.

In a 2010 interview with PBS' Charlie Rose, Bezos expressed doubt that philanthropy was the best way to solve social problems.

"I'm convinced that in many cases, for-profit models improve the world more than philanthropy models, if they can be made to work."

For example, he thinks inventing the Kindle brings more reading opportunities to people worldwide.  Discuss that