Michael Bloomberg's $1 billion donation had a transformative impact on healthcare and education, particularly at Johns Hopkins University. Bloombergs philanthropy is reshaping access to medical education,
making it more inclusive and impactful. His donation made medical school free at Johns Hopkins University for students from families earning under $300,000 per year, covering tuition, living expenses,
and fees for those earning up to $175,000.
Michael Bloomberg was among six major donors who contributed $1 billion or more in 2024. He topped the Philanthropy 50 list with a total donation of $3.7 billion,
supporting causes like arts, education, the environment, public health, and city governance. His Bloomberg Philanthropies awarded $1 billion to Johns Hopkins University
to make medical school free and provide financial aid to nursing and public health students. The other billion-dollar donors were Reed Hastings & Patty Quillin
(Netflix co-founder and his wife) $1.6 billion (No. 2), Michael & Susan Dell (Dell Technologies founder and his wife) $1.5 billion (No. 3), Warren Buffett $1.14 billion (No. 4),
Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan (Facebook co-founder and his wife) $1.11 billion (No. 5), Ruth Gottesman (retired professor) $1 billion (No. 6) (donated to Albert Einstein College
of Medicine to make medical school free). Together, the top 50 donors contributed $16.2 billion to charity in 2024.
There are many well-known charities in the U.S. that focus on different causes, from disaster relief to healthcare and education. For example,
United Way Worldwide A nonprofit organization that supports education, financial stability, and health initiatives.
Feeding America A nationwide network of food banks working to combat hunger.
American Red Cross Provides disaster relief, blood donations, and emergency assistance.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Focuses on pediatric treatment and research for childhood diseases.
World Central Kitchen Founded by chef José Andrés, this organization provides meals in response to humanitarian crises.
Direct Relief Offers medical aid and disaster relief worldwide.
United Way Worldwide is a nonprofit organization that works to improve lives by mobilizing communities to address social challenges. It operates in over 35 countries and territories, supporting initiatives related
to education, financial stability, and health. United Way collaborates with local organizations to provide resources for disaster relief, hunger prevention, and youth development.
Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States, working to combat food insecurity through a nationwide network of food banks, pantries, and meal programs. The organization rescues surplus
food and distributes it to communities in need, helping millions of people facing hunger1. Feeding America also conducts research, such as the Map the Meal Gap study, which provides local-level estimates of food
insecurity across the country. This research highlights disparities in food access, particularly in rural areas where child hunger rates can be significantly higher.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education in the United States. It offers services such as blood donations, CPR training, disaster response,
and support for military families. The Red Cross plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness and recovery, helping communities rebuild after hurricanes, wildfires, and other emergencies.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Founded by entertainer Danny Thomas in 1962, St. Jude is headquartered
in Memphis, Tennessee, and operates as a nonprofit organization. One of its defining principles is that families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or foodallowing children to receive care regardless of
financial circumstances. St. Jude is known for groundbreaking research in pediatric oncology, including advancements in leukemia treatment and brain tumor studies. The hospital also collaborates globally to improve childhood
cancer survival rates.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a nonprofit organization founded by chef José Andrés in 2010. It provides meals to communities affected by disasters, conflicts, and humanitarian crises. WCK has responded to emergencies worldwide,
including hurricanes, earthquakes, and war zones, ensuring that people in need receive fresh, nutritious food. Recently, WCK has faced challenges in Gaza, where it had to halt operations due to supply shortages and restrictions
on aid deliveries. Despite these difficulties, the organization continues to advocate for humanitarian access and support communities in crisis.
Direct Relief is a humanitarian organization that provides medical aid and disaster relief worldwide. Founded in 1948, it operates in over 80 countries and all 50 U.S. states, focusing on improving healthcare access for
communities affected by poverty or emergencies. The organization supplies essential medicines, medical equipment, and disaster response resources to healthcare providers in need. Direct Relief is known for its efficiency and transparency,
earning top ratings from charity evaluators. It does not accept government funding, relying instead on private donations and partnerships to support its mission.
Bill Gates has been a major force in global philanthropy, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has been active for 25 years, focuses on global health, education, and poverty alleviation.
Gates has long been committed to philanthropy, having co-founded the Giving Pledge with Warren Buffett and Melinda French Gates in 2010, encouraging billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has played a crucial role in funding vaccination programs, disease eradication efforts, and education initiatives worldwide. Recently, Gates announced that he will give away
$200 billion over the next 20 years and wind down the foundation by 2045. This marks a significant acceleration in his philanthropic efforts, as the foundation has already disbursed $100 billion since its inception.
His goal is to help end preventable deaths, eradicate infectious diseases, and lift millions out of poverty.
Warren Buffett is the most generous philanthropist who has donated over $56 billion to charities. His giving is primarily directed toward organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation,
and several others focused on global health, education, and social justice. Buffett has pledged to donate 99% of his wealth either during his lifetime or upon his death. His philosophy of philanthropy aligns with his "inner scorecard"
a belief in living life on his own terms rather than seeking external validation. Buffett's approach to giving is unique in that he donates to foundations run by others rather than creating his own. He has also been a major supporter
of the Giving Pledge, an initiative encouraging billionaires to commit at least 50% of their wealth to charity. His contributions have played a significant role in shaping modern philanthropy and addressing global challenges.
Elon Musk's philanthropy is primarily channeled through the Musk Foundation, which focuses on his business areas (e.g., renewable energy, space exploration, safe artificial intelligence). Musk's giving is not as transparent as
other billionaires, as many of his donations go to donor-advised funds, which do not require public disclosure of how the money is spent. Over the years, he has made some donations, including giving away $237 million in grants,
with the largest donation$137 milliongoing to a nonprofit Musk himself established to build a K-12 school in Austin, Texas; he donated millions to AI research, including OpenAI; another major recipient was the X Prize Foundation,
which received $54 million to fund a competition focused on carbon renewal.
Through DOGE, Elon Musk has extensively provided leadership in cutting to U.S. foreign aid programs and reducing funding for global health initiatives, which could lead to a resurgence of diseases like measles, HIV, and polio.
This has sparked discussions about Musk's philanthropy and whether his approach is effective in addressing urgent humanitarian issues.
Jeff Bezos has donated approximately $3 billion to various charitable causes. He pledged $10 billion to the Bezos Earth Fund in 2020 to combat climate change and $2 billion to the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund to support homeless families and
create free preschools; so far, the fund has granted nearly $640 million to various organizations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Kirk Douglas, an American actor and filmmaker who died in February 2020 at the age of 103, reportedly donated his $61 million
fortune to charities through the Douglas Foundation, which he established with his wife in 1964. His children,
including Michael Douglas, did not receive any of his money.
Gordon Ramsay, a British millionaire, a television personality, and a well-renowned chef all over the world, makes sure that
his children dont get spoiled by the fame and money, and is
Definitely Not leaving his fortune to his kids.
In 2018, Americans gave $427.71 billion, of which $292.09 billion giving came from individuals, $75.86 billion from foundations, $39.71 billion from bequests (leaving by will),
and $20.05 billion from corporations.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given away $30 billion since 2000. The foundation is working to eliminate polio in the three countries where it still exists and is committed to stamping out malaria wherever possible.
Oprah Winfrey Through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, she has donated over $40 million to education and healthcare
Chuck Feeney The co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers, Feeney secretly gave away his fortune over decades, donating $7.5 billion to education, human rights,
and health causes before going broke by choice. He gave all money through his philanthropic foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP).
One of the most famous philanthropists who donated nearly all of his wealth to charity is Chuck Feeney. He co-founded Duty Free Shoppers and amassed billions,
but he chose to give away his fortune through The Atlantic Philanthropies, supporting education, health, human rights, and scientific research. By 2020, he had donated $7.5 billion, leaving himself with almost nothing.
Feeneys approach to philanthropy - giving while living - has inspired many billionaires to follow suit.
Elton John His AIDS Foundation has raised over $600 million to support HIV-related programs.
Dolly Parton She has funded scholarships, disaster relief, and literacy programs, including her Imagination Library, which provides free books to children.
Many charitable organizations use outside solicitors to obtain donations, and most of the solicitations are done via telephone calls. Telemarketing solicitations for donations is not a crime under the Federal law; however, the solicitors cannot call numbers listed on the"
Do Not Call" list.
The United States has demonstrated generosity in many ways, from humanitarian aid to charitable giving. Generosity in the U.S. extends beyond financial contributions it includes volunteerism, advocacy, and support for those in need. For examples,
Disaster Relief: The U.S. government and private organizations frequently provide aid to countries affected by natural disasters, such as hurricane relief in the Caribbean or earthquake assistance in Haiti.
Philanthropy: American billionaires, including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, have pledged large portions of their wealth to charitable causes through initiatives like the Giving Pledge.
Community Support: Everyday acts of generosity, such as crowdfunding campaigns to help individuals in need, have become a hallmark of American culture.
International Aid: The U.S. is one of the largest contributors to global humanitarian efforts, funding programs for food security, healthcare, and education in developing nations.
The United States is often recognized for its generosity in various ways, including charitable giving,
humanitarian aid, and volunteerism. Many Americans donate to nonprofits, support global relief efforts, and engage in community service. In fact, reports like the World Giving Index have frequently placed the U.S. among the top countries
in charitable giving. That said, generosity can be measured in different wayssuch as individual donations, government aid, or volunteer workso perspectives on what makes a country "the most generous" may vary. For example,
the United States is the most generous country in the world, in 2011 its people donated $298 billion to charities, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
According to a report that InfoCision, a telemarketer for many charity organizations, filed with regulators, it received
57% of $6.1 million raised for March of Dimes, 60% of $7.8 million for
the Association of Diabetes Association, 88% of $3.5 million for the American Lung Association and 102% of $5.4 million for the American Cancer Society. From 2009 to 2011, InfoCision raised $14.7 million for Citizens United and kept $12.4 million, or 84 percent of the $12.4 million.
From 2007 to 2010, InfoCision raised $424.million for more than 30 nonprofits and kept $220.6 million, or 52 percent of the money of it raised.
Before donating money, find out what percentage will actually go to the charity and always take more time to make a decision. A legitimate company generally dont pressure people into making snap decisions. Avoid to give money or make any promise over the phone; and request the caller to send the material for review.
In 2010 Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend Bill Gates, pledged to leave the majority of his fortune to charity after his death. At the time he was the 37th richest man in the world according to Forbes magazine,
with an estimated $13.5bn; he died from complications of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma disease in 2018 aged 65.
