MrBeast and the Rockefeller Foundation team up to spark youth philanthropy and fight child labor

In a notable convergence of traditional philanthropy and new-age digital influence, Beast Philanthropy, founded by YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson (known as MrBeast), has formed a strategic partnership with the century-old Rockefeller Foundation. The collaboration, announced Monday, aims to harness Donaldson’s massive youth appeal alongside Rockefeller’s long-standing expertise in addressing global challenges.

The partnership represents a bridge between two seemingly disparate worlds. The Rockefeller Foundation, established in 1913 with wealth from oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, stands as one of America’s most prestigious philanthropic organizations. In contrast, the 27-year-old Donaldson epitomizes the modern digital economy, having built a media empire through viral content that has garnered billions of views.

“I’ve spent my entire life making YouTube videos. They’ve spent their entire lives helping people,” Donaldson told The Associated Press ahead of a video shoot at his North Carolina studio. “Obviously, they have a team who’s way more experienced than me in helping people, but being able to pull on their knowledge and wisdom is amazing.”

Dr. Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, acknowledged that traditional philanthropy has struggled to connect with younger generations. He sees MrBeast as the perfect conduit to inspire hope and make complex global issues more accessible to hundreds of millions of young viewers.

“What Jimmy’s already done is show that you can change that dramatically,” Shah said, referencing MrBeast’s humanitarian work in Zambia, where his team provided a village with solar power and clean water. “If we can get people believing that they can make a difference through this collaboration, we will have achieved something really unique and really special.”

For Shah, the partnership aligns with Rockefeller’s data-driven approach to philanthropy. He noted a natural synergy between MrBeast’s meticulous content strategy—which relies heavily on metrics and audience engagement—and Rockefeller’s results-oriented philosophy.

“We bring innovation, a sense of purpose and a deep commitment to measuring results to those efforts. And, over time, it’s literally helped hundreds of millions of people escape poverty, hunger and disease,” Shah explained.

The foundation’s decision to partner with Donaldson wasn’t made lightly. Shah revealed that Rockefeller rarely enters corporate partnerships, but spending time with Donaldson and his mother, plus viewing his philanthropy-focused content, convinced him of the YouTube star’s genuine commitment to helping others.

While specific initiatives remain in development, the organizations have already begun tackling child labor in the cocoa industry. Through his snack company Feastables, Donaldson aims to prove that chocolate production can be both profitable and ethical without exploiting children on cacao farms.

“I want to use Feastables to prove you can make chocolate and make money without using child labor,” Donaldson explained. His approach includes providing farmers with living wages and creating economic conditions that allow children to attend school rather than work on farms.

As part of this initiative, representatives from both organizations plan to visit Ghana in early 2024 to learn from each other’s approaches to development and community-driven change.

The partnership comes at a pivotal time for Donaldson’s expanding business empire, which now encompasses an entertainment studio, food brands, a book deal with James Patterson, and a recent temporary theme park in Saudi Arabia. Last year, he brought on venture capitalist Jeff Housenbold as CEO and has since hired additional executives following a series of controversies that threatened to derail his ambitious growth plans, including an Amazon Prime reality show.

For Donaldson, the collaboration offers an opportunity to amplify his philanthropic impact. “I want to inspire youth to do good and volunteer and donate and care about these projects,” he said, adding that Rockefeller’s expertise will help him avoid reinventing the wheel. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go make the same mistakes they’ve made a bajillion times.”

As this unlikely alliance takes shape, it highlights how traditional philanthropic models are evolving to embrace digital-first approaches that resonate with younger generations. The partnership could potentially reshape how global humanitarian efforts are communicated and executed in the social media age.