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Mark Zuckerberg’s recent pledge to donate $45 billion to charity has generated a lot of discussion about philanthropy. Here’s why it matters.
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The History of Zuckerberg’s Giving
In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, made headlines when they pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook shares—currently worth nearly $45 billion—to charitable causes during their lifetimes. It was a stunningly generous act, and one that was widely applauded. But it wasn’t the first time Zuckerberg had made a major philanthropic gift.
Early Giving
Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have been giving away money since they started dating in 2003. They gave their first big donation of $100 million to the Newark public school system in 2010. They followed that up with a $25 million gift to the CDC Foundation to fight Ebola in 2014. In 2015, they made a commitment to give away 99% of their Facebook shares over the course of their lifetimes.
To date, the couple has given away more than $2 billion. Here’s a look at some of the most notable gifts they’ve made.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) is a philanthropic organization launched in December 2015, by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Its mission is “to advance human potential and promote equality in areas such as health, education, scientific research, and energy.”
Since its launch, CZI has made major gifts to several organizations, including $600 million to the Center for universal Education at Brookings Institution, $100 million towards curing all disease by the year 2100 through the launch of the Biohub at UC Berkeley and Stanford University, $24 million to San Francisco General Hospital Foundation for a new acute care and trauma center, and $10 million to Code.org to increase participation in computer science education.
Why Zuckerberg’s Giving Matters
In a culture where conspicuous consumption is the norm, it’s refreshing to see a young, wealthy person give away a large chunk of his money. When Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced that they would give away 99% of their Facebook shares, it was a powerful signal that philanthropy is important to them. Why does Zuckerberg’s giving matter? Let’s take a look.
Education
Zuckerberg’s education philanthropy includes a $100 million grant to Newark, New Jersey public schools in 2010. The grant was given to the Newark Charter School Fund and supported the creation of new charter schools and the expansion of existing ones. In 2013, Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan gave $120 million to the San Francisco Unified School District. The gift was used to finance technology in every classroom, teacher training, and an expansion of one of the district’s preschool programs.
Health
When it comes to making a difference, it really doesn’t matter how old you are. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook founder and CEO is only 32, but he’s already accomplished a lot — and he’s using his success to help make the world a better place.
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares, currently valued at more than $45 billion. That’s an incredibly generous gift, and it will have a huge impact on many important causes.
One area that will benefit greatly from the couple’s generosity is health. They have already donated $25 million to fight Ebola and $75 million to help combat infectious diseases in developing countries. But that’s just the beginning.
The Zuckerbergs’ philanthropy will also support medical research, which is vital for finding new treatments and cures for diseases. In addition, their support will help improve access to health care for people around the world who don’t have reliable access to doctors or hospitals.
It’s clear that the Zuckerbergs are committed to making a difference in the world, and their philanthropy is having a real impact on critical issues like health. Thanks to their generosity, we’re one step closer to a healthier world for everyone.
Community Development
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan recently announced that they would give away 99% of their Facebook shares, currently worth about $45 billion, to charitable causes over the course of their lifetimes. This is an incredible act of philanthropy, and it will have a tremendous impact on the causes that they support.
Community development is one of the areas that Zuckerberg and Chan have said they are interested in supporting. This can take many forms, but it generally refers to initiatives that improve the lives of people living in disadvantaged communities. This can include everything from improving access to education and healthcare to creating jobs and boosting economic development.
Zuckerberg’s philanthropy will no doubt have a huge impact on community development efforts around the world. His donation will provide much-needed resources to organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged people. Additionally, his high-profile status will raise awareness of community development issues and help generate more support for these initiatives.
The bottom line is that Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy matters. His donation will have a positive impact on the causes he cares about, and his status as a public figure will help shine a spotlight on important issues like community development.
