At one time, the passion of many celebrities for charity caused a lot of noise, some even tried to see it as hidden meaning. Someone argued that philanthropy is nothing more than a means of increasing one’s influence in society. Despite these contradictory statements, we would still like to believe that all this is done only with good intentions. In March of this year, journalist Robert Friedman accused Lady Gaga of dishonest charity, pointing out the concealment of huge sums under the guise of donations. However, among the rich and famous there are those who, out of the kindness of their hearts, help people who are less fortunate in this life.
10. Meryl Streep – net worth: $45 million
Meryl Streep is rightfully considered one of greatest actresses of all times. Films such as The Deer Hunter, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, and The Iron Lady"made her a household name. She has three Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, two Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and many others. When Meryl Streep is not shining on movie screens, she is involved in charity work. Together with her husband, she founded The Silver Mountain Arts Foundation in 1983, which has tirelessly supported the nation's arts, education, health and social spheres services. The foundation has awarded more than $1 million to Vassar College, Oxfam America, Meals on Wheels, the Homeless Coalition and the National Women's Museum. The foundation also donated $1 million to the Public Theater and awarded two scholarships to UMass students.
9. Michael J. Fox – Net Worth: $65 Million
Fox rose to fame with his role on the sitcom Family Ties, where he played young Republican Reagan fan Alex Keaton between 1983 and 1989. His role in the Back to the Future films brought him even greater fame. Shortly after the filming of Dr. Hollywood was completed, Fox received a disappointing diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Despite everything, he continued to work and even managed to star in the sitcom “Spin City” in the role of Mike Flaherty. Since 2000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation has given more than $450 million to find a cure for Parkinson's disease.
8. Matt Damon – $75 million
From the moment Damon burst onto the scene with his role in the film Good Will Hunting, he began to be pursued by a fast-moving career. After winning an Academy Award for best scenario, he has starred in a number of successful films such as Saving Private Ryan, the Ocean's Friends trilogy, the Bourne film series, The Departed and The False Temptation. All yours free time He has devoted himself to philanthropy, supporting peace in Darfur with the One Campaign and serving as a goodwill ambassador for OneXOne, which provides aid to children in need in the United States, Canada and the rest of the world.
7. Taylor Swift - $180 million net worth
Taylor Swift is an American favorite, an incredibly famous singer, songwriter and actress. She became the youngest artist signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing House in 2006, and was ranked seventh on Forbes magazine's list of the most powerful celebrities in 2011. Her singles almost constantly become hits not only in America, but also on the world charts. But the girl does not forget about charity. It awarded $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame educational center in Nashville. In addition, she gave $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and also sponsored organizations such as Hope for Haiti, the Red Cross, and Architecture for Humanity.
5. Mel Gibson - $800 million net worth
Believe it or not, Mel Gibson has made a name for himself in the world of philanthropy as an incredibly soft-hearted individual. The 'Braveheart' star pledged more than $10 million medical centers UCLA and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. The actor generously participates in charity, helping all children in need of treatment. Additionally, in 2007, he gave $500,000 to the El Mirador Basin project to protect tropical forests.
4. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – $385 million
There's something more besides amazing beauty this couple, which makes you look at them with respect. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are enjoying their joint capital and star status in order to change the world at least a little better side. In 2007, Pitt founded the Make It Right Foundation, allocating $5 million to build 150 homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina, which swept through New Orleans. In turn, Jolie donated $200,000 to the Malala Yousafzais Foundation, which specializes in promoting women's rights in Pakistan. In addition, after their vacation in Namibia, the couple decided to allocate $2 million to preserve and protect the local wildlife. Among other things, they also own the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, created in 2006 and funding organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and Global Action for Children.
3. Paul McCartney – worth $1.2 billion
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is well known not only as a musician, but also as a philanthropist. Even at the dawn of his solo career, the musician had already participated in a lot of charity concerts, such as Live Aid and New York City post 9-11. A vegetarian, he has fought for animal rights throughout his life. Together with his second wife Heather Mills, he campaigned against landmines and was active in the Adopt-A-Minefield movement.
2. Oprah Winfrey – $2.9 billion
Even though the "Queen of All Media" is primarily known for her show called The Oprah Winfrey Show, that doesn't stop her from being an incredibly generous woman. Oprah was born into a poor family and had a rather tough upbringing, which helped her become more involved in charity work. In 2006, Business Week named Oprah the world's greatest black philanthropist. Her organization, called the Angel Network, has raised more than $80 million worldwide, including a $40 million donation from Oprah herself. The funds were used to develop many educational programs V South Africa and to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
One of the pioneer philanthropists, Andrew Carnegie, once said: “No one can become truly rich without giving his wealth to those in need.” According to him, a man who dies rich dies dishonored. Many millionaires, billionaires and generous people around the world followed his example, donating millions to various charitable campaigns.
Here is a list of the most generous people on the planet, based on how much money each of them gave. In total, $106 billion was donated to charity from the bank accounts of these noble people.
Dietmar Hopp
One of the largest German entrepreneurs, Dietmar Hopp founded the IT company SAP, a software manufacturer for large companies and corporations. Twenty years ago this German billionaire founded charitable foundation supporting education, sports and healthcare.
Total donations: $1 billion
Net worth today: $6.3 billion
Pierre Morad Omidyar
This billionaire has not yet reached 50 years of age and is already one of the richest entrepreneurs. The founder and chairman of the board of directors of eBay, Pierre and his wife Pamela founded a charitable foundation dedicated to the fight against the slave trade. He is also the founder of the philanthropic investment fund Omidyar Network. Of his $6 billion fortune, Omidyar donated a billion to charity.
Michael Dell
The chairman and chief executive of the Dell computer company has led the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation for 17 years. The foundation is engaged in education, humanitarian and social assistance, as well as the development of culture and art. In 2015, the foundation announced plans to build a new $25 million hospital in Austin, Texas. Total donations: $1.1 billion from a personal wealth of $19 billion.
James Simons
The founder and president of the world's most successful investment fund, Renaissance Technologies, is worth more than $12 billion, of which $1.2 billion has been given to his charitable foundation. The foundation's money was mainly used for educational purposes. A separate line is considered to be Simons' donations to the study of autism and to support those suffering from this disorder.
As of 2015, the fortune of the founder of the CNN television channel was two billion dollars. Throughout his career, Turner gave half of this amount to charity. He heads international fund Turner Global Foundation, dedicated to issues and conservation environment. He is also a regular trustee of the United Nations Foundation. The entrepreneur is concerned about the problems of overpopulation, safety and infant mortality.
Jon Huntsman Sr.
The founder of the chemical industry corporation Huntsman Corporation is worth $940 million. At the same time, the entrepreneur donated more than a billion dollars to fight cancer.
One of the richest and most influential people in Asia, investor Li Ka-shing has amassed a fortune of $26.6 billion. For more than 35 years, he has headed a charitable foundation in support of education, cultural development and health care. In total, Li Ka-shing gave one and a half billion dollars to various projects of the foundation.
Mark Zuckerberg
The Facebook founder is one of the youngest billionaire entrepreneurs. His fortune amounts to 41 billion US dollars. In 2015, Zuckerberg pledged to give more than half of his fortune to charity during his lifetime. To date, the education sector has received more than $1.5 billion from Mark and Priscilla.
The co-founder of Microsoft and the head of the private investment fund Vulcan is the owner of 17 billion US dollars. The Allen Family Foundation is involved in various charitable projects, including healthcare, environmental protection and Alzheimer's disease research. In total, the fund received two billion dollars from Paul Allen.
Owner news agency and the founder of the media company Bloomberg is one of the world's most celebrated philanthropists. Of his total fortune of 40 billion, he gave three to solving problems of education, environment, health and social development.
Chairman of the board of directors of the BOK financial corporation, Kaiser is the owner of more than nine billion dollars, of which $3.3 billion has been given to his family philanthropic foundation, which deals with issues of education, community development, religious tolerance and health care.
Through his charitable foundation, this billionaire with a net worth of seven billion continues to invest money in the fields of health, education and the arts. To date, his contribution to global charity has amounted to three and a half billion dollars.
One of the richest people on the planet, this Mexican billionaire is the head of the GrupoCarso holding. His fortune today is 27 billion, of which the entrepreneur gave four to charity. He is engaged in improving life in Mexico and protecting the nature of this country.
In 1968, Moore founded Intel and has been active in philanthropic activities ever since. Over his long career, his own foundation has donated $5 billion to the environment and science. Moore's financial assets today amount to six and a half billion dollars.
Sulaiman bin Abdul Al Rajhi
In 1957, this Arab entrepreneur and his brothers founded AlRajhi Bank, which grew into one of the largest banks Arab world. His net worth is 590 million, while Al Rajhi has donated nearly six billion dollars to charity since 2013.
The founder of the Duty Free chain of stores, Charles Feeney, is called a philanthropic genius. This trading magnate decided to give all his fortune to the needs of society. Today, his modest wealth consists of one and a half million dollars, while his foundation, AtlanticPhilanthropies, has given away more than six billion of its wealth to charity.
Azim Premji
The founder of IT company Wipro, Azim Hashim Premji, is one of the two richest people in India. His capital is sixteen billion US dollars, of which Premji gave half to improve the educational system of India.
One of the world's most famous philanthropists, the founder of a network of charitable foundations, Soros gave $8 billion to charity, which is 33% of his total capital. The Soros Foundation works around the world, helping to solve problems of social development, education and health care.
The world's largest investor and richest man, Buffett is also the most generous of all philanthropists. In 2006, he promised to give 85% of his money, which amounts to more than 60 billion, to the Bill and Melinda Gates Charitable Foundation by the end of his life. To date, Buffett has donated more than 21 billion.
Known as the creator of Microsoft and richest man on the planet, Bill Gates is now involved in charity work. His foundation invests in various social projects around the world. Of the $85 billion, the Gates couple gave more than 30% to improve the world.
I know such people at the level of my city, and at the country level, and at the world level.
Of the most famous, Natalia Vodianova and Angelina Jolie immediately come to mind. Many artists create funds to help sick children, cancer patients, and the disabled.
There are such people. Many millionaires and even billionaires in Russia give part of their profits to those in need: children for operations, boarding schools, kindergartens and other institutions of this kind. Such people are politician Mikhail Prokhorov, entrepreneur Gennady Timchenko and his wife, as well as actress Dina Korzun. All these people have organized their own charitable foundations, by contacting which you can receive financial assistance!
Chulpan Khamatova, for example, is an experienced philanthropist. Chulpan is the founder of the Podari Zhizn foundation, or rather, one of the founders.
The foundation provides a variety of assistance for children with blood and cancerous tumors, including targeted financial support, when funds are donated for the treatment of a specific person.
There is Asgat Galimzyanov. He helps people. I wrote about him in my question Who are poor millionaires, do you know poor millionaires? nice apartment he constantly donates to those in need, living in a barracks himself. You can also read about his other help in this question.
There are many such people, and just because we don't hear about them doesn't mean that they - the rich and famous - don't do it. To a specific person Various charitable foundations can also help, where I actually advise you to go, they are the ones who will provide specific help specifically to those in need, because in our time there are many deceitful people in need, and the fund will always check the need and will not refuse. And the foundations live on voluntary transfers from rich and poor, where you can find out who exactly is the most honorable financial donor. You can simply turn to a person who has the means for help, but you must also be polite and specifically explain to whom the funds are needed and not be offended if they ask you to provide supporting documents. So, for example, a couple of years ago, we helped one boy raise money for an operation in Germany, simply by contacting some businessmen in our city. the boy is now walking, and those who helped are simply happy that they were able to help.
There are undoubtedly wealthy people involved in charitable activities in Russia.
As an example, I can cite a famous Russian businessman named Mikhail Gutseriev, he is the founder of such a Charitable Foundation as SAFMAR, and here is a link to the foundation’s website.
Also, I would like to note that a famous singer named Joseph Kobzon is also involved in charity work.
I know for sure that such people exist. Most recently, I volunteered to raise funds for the treatment of a little girl. And one day such a person appeared purely by chance and transferred a rather impressive amount to the account of the child’s parents. Most often, these people do not advertise their help, but what can be collected without them? the required amount it would be much more difficult - that's a fact.
21 years old, I need a sponsor, I broke my heel bone, I left the hospital, I need to spend 2.5 months at home, I need money for medicine and to pay for housing, food and an orthosis! 45 thousand brothers URGENT!!! who can help I will be grateful, I am alone, I have no relatives, I have no one to turn to either, I am writing here on the board, if there are real people who will respond I will be grateful I have a Sberbank card 4276 7700 1478 2111. I have all the certificates. write to here sap 8-909-279-83-07
Like in any other country in the world, in Russia there are also people whose wealth allows them not only to live in luxury, but also to engage in charity.
Let's take for example pop singer and People's Artist of the USSR Iosif Kobzon. He is not only a singer, but also the chairman of the board of the regional charitable foundation Shield and Lyre.
Culture
This article is dedicated to ten significant people who, undoubtedly, left a huge mark on the lives of many people on this planet. Perhaps the proposed choice will seem rather one-sided to some, but this is not surprising, since all significant personalities about whom we're talking about in this article, are considered as such in the opinion of Americans. In other words, one can dispute the fact that not a single Russian person was included in this list, but one cannot but agree that all the people presented on this list had a huge impact (including negative) on many areas of life different people on our planet.
10. Bill Gates
It is known that Bill Gates, who was born in 1955, created his first computer program while still a student high school. Everyone famous company Microsoft Corporation, one of the founders of which is Bill Gates, appeared in 1975, and 18 years later, in 1993, Gates was officially declared the richest man on Earth. Despite the far ambiguous attitude towards the products offered by the Gates Corporation, it cannot be denied that this man not only made a real revolution in computer software, but also did a lot of good and useful things. For example, Bill, with his own money, founded several of the largest charitable foundations pursuing good causes around the world (for example, the fight against polio, and so on).
9. Martin Luther King (1929-1968)
Despite the fact that Martin Luther King was an American citizen who actively fought for the rights of black residents and against racial discrimination and racism, this man became known far beyond the borders of the United States of America. He was a real ideological fighter who was inspired by his spiritual mentor and fighter for Indian independence, Mahatma Gandhi. Despite the extremely pressing problem of racial discrimination against the black population in the United States, King always advocated peaceful methods of resolving the issue, while being an unsurpassed orator. In 1964, King was awarded Nobel Prize peace. And, despite the fact that King was assassinated in 1968, he is still remembered because, according to many, to this person managed to achieve the impossible by forcing the white population of America to listen to and respect the opinions of the black population.
8. Nelson Mandela
Another equally famous human rights activist who dedicated his life to fierce opposition to apartheid - the policy of racial oppression of certain groups of the population in South Africa, under which black people did not even have the right to vote - was Nelson Mandela, born in 1918. For his tough, uncompromising stance in the fight against the racist government Mandela was arrested in 1964. The future president of the Republic of South Africa emerged from prison only 26 years later, and was almost immediately elected leader of the state. In 1993, Nelson Mandela also received the Nobel Peace Prize for his services in the fight against apartheid.
7. Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
The German leader, who came to power in 1933, undoubtedly left not only one of the most significant marks in the history of mankind, but also the bloodiest and most destructive mark. Fierce hatred of Jews, exaggerated ideas about the right to advantage of the Aryan race on our planet, as well as manic commitment to one’s ideas- all this led to the death of tens of millions of people in Eastern Europe. And although Adolf Hitler’s diabolical plans were not destined to come true, this man is unlikely to be erased from people’s memory (as well as many other dictators).
6. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Einstein, who is rightfully considered the greatest physicist of all time, has become a true symbol of genius. When Albert Einstein managed to prove one of his most significant works in 1919 - general theory relativity - scientists around the world recognized the genius of this man, as a result of which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for achievements in physics in 1921. Unfortunately, despite the fact that Einstein was an undoubted pacifist, his scientific research later helped other researchers create atomic bomb. Einstein was so burdened by this fact that a week before his death, in a letter addressed to Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher and ardent supporter of nuclear disarmament, he declared his readiness to sign an appeal to all countries calling on them to abandon the use of atomic energy in warfare. purposes.
5. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual leader of the Indian people and a fighter for the independence of this country from Great Britain, began his career as an ordinary lawyer, only later taking up political issues. He led a peaceful civil disobedience movement against the British regime in India, and conducted active negotiations with the leaders of Foggy Albion until 1947 when his country gained independence. In fact, Gandhi became the true embodiment of independence for all Indians for all time! Mahatma Gandhi is also known for his modest way of life and calls for religious tolerance, which, undoubtedly, only contributed to strengthening the people's love and faith in their leader.
4. Karl Marx (1818-1883)
It can be said without exaggeration that the ideas of the German thinker Karl Marx in the field of economics and sociology changed the world. Marx was one of those social philosophers who were dissatisfied with the bourgeois structure of the world, predicting social equality for everyone in the future. Of course, many of us know Marx primarily for his monumental work called Capital, but he became famous for his work written together with Friedrich Engels, another German philosopher, in a work entitled "Manifesto communist party"(This is where the famous phrase came from - “A ghost is haunting Europe - the ghost of communism”). As you know, it was the ideas of Karl Marx that inspired Russian revolutionaries and communists. In 1950, already half of the inhabitants of our planet lived in countries where the communist regime ruled !
3. Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
There is probably no need to explain to anyone that it was Charles Darwin who became the founder modern theory evolution. Of course, it didn’t all start right away. Darwin's first thoughts on this topic began to form during the period when he went to trip around the world as a naturalist on a Royal Navy vessel called the Beagle (1831-1836). And Darwin devoted the rest of his life to the development of these ideas. The main work of his life, published in 1859 - “The Origin of Species” - caused a harsh reaction from conservative society. And this is not surprising: in fact, Darwin openly opposed the Bible and the version of the divine creation of the surrounding world, replacing it with the theory of the evolutionary development of all living beings. It was then that humanity first had to try to comprehend the fact that the direct ancestors of people were apes(according to Darwin).
2. William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
The appearance of William Shakespeare on this list is the most significant people in human history is not accidental. In fact, Shakespeare has been overwhelmingly voted the greatest English-language playwright in human history. Considering that this top ten was compiled according to the opinions of Americans, this choice is not surprising. But no matter what they say gossips, Shakespeare, as a writer, had a huge influence on the entire world of drama.. He started as an ordinary actor, and eventually wrote 154 poems and 37 plays, among which the most famous were “Hamlet”, “King Lear”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Macbeth” and so on. The influence of William Shakespeare was so great that thanks to his work, English language was replenished with more than 1,700 new words.
1. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)
It would probably be surprising if the list of the most significant people in the world, compiled by the Americans, did not include Christopher Columbus, one of the most famous travelers and discoverers. After all, it is believed that it was precisely thanks to his search for the coast of the so-called Western India that European settlers discovered two continents, which were later called America (and hardly anyone will dare to challenge America’s influence on the whole world). Among other things, Christopher Columbus became famous as a talented navigator. It is believed that of all the reliably known travelers, it was he who was the first to cross Atlantic Ocean, sailed in the Caribbean Sea and generally gave Europe a whole new world.
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Egor Beroev and Ksenia Alferova
The couple has been helping children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and autism for several years. Three years ago they opened their own charity foundation, “I Am!” Egor and Ksenia try to make the life of their charges brighter and more colorful; for this they organize various holidays, exhibitions and concerts. They also try to create for such children all the conditions for healthy adaptation in adulthood.
Orlando Bloom
The famous actor has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) since 2009. Over the course of several years, Bloom managed to visit many countries as part of charity projects. Among other things, he visited humanitarian missions in Ethiopia, Jordan, Syria and Macedonia.
Chulpan Khamatova and Dina Korzun
In 2006, friends and actresses jointly established the Gift of Life foundation, which has since helped children with severe cancer and hematological diseases. Today in Russia, more and more children with such terrible diagnoses are getting a chance to recover and happy life, this is largely thanks to the help of the Khamatova Foundation.
Keanu Reeves
This Hollywood actor has long been famous for his - in a positive sense - eccentricity. Often Keanu gave almost all the proceeds from the film to the needs of charitable organizations. Reeves knows firsthand about serious illnesses - his sister fought cancer for 10 years, so the actor spares no expense in supporting cancer funds.
Natalya Vodyanova
The beautiful Russian woman Natalia Vodianova has become famous throughout the world not only as a super successful model, but also as a philanthropist. The actress has been actively involved in charitable activities for many years. Younger sister Vodianova has suffered from a severe form of autism since birth, and Vodianova own experience knows that children with such diseases need special care and attention. Natalya heads the Naked Heart Foundation and annually holds charity concerts, marathons and auctions - all the money from such events goes to help children in need.
Oprah Winfrey
The legendary American TV presenter, producer and actress Oprah Winfrey has been actively involved in charity work for many years. In addition to financial support of many foundations, Winfrey is the founder of a special school for girls in South Africa. In a country where violence and murder are a daily reality, girls have virtually no chance of finishing school. Thanks to Oprah's efforts, several hundred graduates of this school have already received diplomas from prestigious American universities.
Maria Mironova, Igor Vernik and Evgeny Mironov
In 2008, the actors jointly established the Artist charity foundation, designed to help older artists. In addition to providing all kinds of material assistance to theater and film veterans, the foundation’s volunteers also provide moral support: they go to visit their wards, give gifts on holidays, and organize impromptu concerts.
Brad Pitt
A few years ago famous actor founded the Make It Right charity to help New Orleans residents affected by Hurricane Katrina. In less than 10 years, Pitt and his organization managed to build more than 109 houses. The best architects and engineers were invited to work on the project. The actor personally supervised the work of volunteers and controlled the construction process at all stages.
Konstantin Khabensky
The activities of the Konstantin Khabensky Charitable Foundation are aimed at helping children with severe brain diseases. The foundation's motto is “One life saved is one life saved.” The actor spares neither time nor money for charitable activities. During the work of the fund, more than 150 children were saved - this, undoubtedly, is a great merit of Konstantin Khabensky personally.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio is famous not only for his phenomenal film roles, but also for his active work in protecting the environment. In 2012, the actor became a UN Ambassador of Peace. The choice of DiCaprio for such a high position was not accidental - the actor in Hollywood is considered the main supporter of the “green” lifestyle. In 1998, Leo created his own charitable foundation, main goal which is the education of harmonious relationships between people and nature. Every year, the actor spends huge amounts of his fees to solve environmental problems.
Angelina Jolie
It is difficult to name all the charitable projects in which Angelina Jolie took part. She is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for Refugees. For more than 15 years of charitable activity, she managed to visit many hot spots with humanitarian missions (including Iran, Syria, Jordan, Kosovo, Pakistan). Together with Brad Pitt, Jolie created the Jolie/Pitt Foundation in 2006, the funds of which go to finance Doctors Without Borders programs.