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From corporate giving programs to employee volunteerism, check out these 10 philanthropy examples from well-known companies.
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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the largest charitable foundations in the world, with an endowment of over $50 billion. The foundation was founded in 2000 by Bill and Melinda Gates, and its mission is to “improve global health and reduce extreme poverty.”
The Gates Foundation does a lot of work in global health, with a particular focus on infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The foundation also works on improving access to education and technology in developing countries.
In addition to its work in global health and development, the Gates Foundation also has a major focus on education in the United States. The foundation has spent billions of dollars on initiatives to improve educational outcomes for low-income students, minority students, and students with disabilities.
The Giving Pledge
The Giving Pledge is a campaign to encourage the world’s wealthiest people to commit to giving away at least half of their fortunes. The pledgers include some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders, such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Giving pledge millionaires and billionaires often establish charitable foundations to manage their giving. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private foundation in the world, with an endowment of over $50 billion. The foundation focuses on global health and development, education, and philanthropy through venture capital.
The Warren Buffett Foundation is another large private foundation, with an endowment of over $30 billion. The foundation supports a variety of causes, including education, poverty relief, women’s empowerment, and environmental conservation.
The Giving Pledge is just one example of philanthropy at work around the world. Here are ten more examples of philanthropists who are making a difference:
1) George Soros – A hedge fund manager and billionaire investor, Soros has given away over $32 billion to support causes like human rights, education, public health, and disaster relief.
2) Azim Premji – An Indian business tycoon and chairman of Wipro Limited, Premji has pledged to give away 75% of his personal wealth – over $8 billion – to charitable causes like education and healthcare.
3) Bernard Arnault – A French businessman and CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH), Arnault has committed to giving away €10 billion (about $11.3 billion) to charitable causes through his family’s holding company Groupe Arnault.
4) Jack Ma – A Chinese entrepreneur and co-founder of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (Alibaba), Ma has pledged to give away half his wealth – an estimated $2.4 billion – to charity.
5) Bill Gates – See above for information on the Giving Pledge campaign co-founded by Gates. In addition to his work with the Giving Pledge, Gates has given away over $35 billion through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
6) Warren Buffett – See above for information on the Giving Pledge campaign co-founded by Buffett. In addition to his work with the Giving Pledge, Buffett has given away over $30 billion through the Warren Buffett Foundation.
7) Michael Bloomberg – An American businessman, politician, and philanthropist, Bloomberg has given away over $6 billion to causes like public health, education reform, environmental protection, and gun control advocacy.
8) David Rockefeller Sr. – An American banker and philanthropist whose family fortune was built on oil exploration and production in Standard Oil Company (later ExxonMobil), Rockefeller gave away over $900 million during his lifetime supporting causes like arts & culture institutions like MOMA New York City), environmental conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy), as well as universities like Harvard University).
9) Oprah Winfrey – An American media executive best known for her talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show which ran for 25 years from 1986-2011), Winfrey has gifted over $400 million to charitable causes supporting education for girls globally as well as relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana in 2005).
10) Mark Zuckerberg – See above for information on the Giving Pledge campaign co-founded by Zuckerberg. In additionto his work with the Giving Pledge; Zuckerberg has also signed The Breakthrough Energy Coalition commitment along with other business leaders committedto investing in clean energy technology research & development (R&D).
The Giving Back Fund
The Giving Back Fund is a national nonprofit organization that provides financial and strategic support to celebrities and athletes who want to make a difference in their communities. The organization was founded in 1997 by NFL player Danny Villa and Hollywood producer Craig Kestel.
The Giving Back Fund has assisted over 3,000 individuals in more than 70 countries with their philanthropic endeavors. Some of the notable projects they have supported include:
• Building homes for families in need with Habitat for Humanity
• Planting trees in communities affected by deforestation
• Supporting educational initiatives for children living in poverty
• Providing medical care to underserved populations
The Global Fund
The Global Fund was created in 2002 to help fight three of the world’s most devastating diseases — AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. To date, the Global Fund has raised more than $40 billion, which has helped save 17 million lives. The Global Fund is a prime example of philanthropy at work, and it is one of the most efficient and effective organizations in the world.
The One Percent Foundation
The One Percent Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by entrepreneur Peter Kazansky. The foundation’s mission is to “support causes that create positive social impact and improve the lives of people around the world.”
To date, the One Percent Foundation has donated more than $1 million to charitable causes. Some of the foundation’s most notable philanthropy examples include supporting education initiatives in developing countries, providing disaster relief assistance, and funding research for new treatments for diseases.
The Robin Hood Foundation
The Robin Hood Foundation is one of the most well-known philanthropic organizations in the world. Their mission is to fight poverty in New York City, and they do so by providing funding and support to a network of hundreds of non-profit organizations. They also operate their own programs, including an early childhood education initiative and a workforce development program. In 2017, they raised over $100 million dollars through their annual fundraiser.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is one of the world’s largest providers of social services. The organization gives hope and support to 30 million people in over 100 countries each year. They operate 7,546 centers that provide meals, shelter, and other assistance to people in need. The Salvation Army also helps families through their Crisis Services program, which provides assistance with bills, food, and housing.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a leading children’s hospital pioneering research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Your donations help support their mission to find cures and save lives.
Teach for America
Teach for America is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities for at least two years. During their time in the corps, members work to close the achievement gap and help their students reach their full potential.
After their two years are up, many corps members choose to stay on as teachers in the same communities they served, while others go on to pursue careers in education reform or other social justice fields. Regardless of where they end up, all corps members are united by their shared commitment to making a difference in the lives of children from underserved backgrounds.
The United Way
The United Way is a nonprofit organization that works to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. The United Way does this by bringing people together to address pressing issues in education, income, and health.
The United Way was founded in 1887 by a group of businessmen in Denver, Colorado. They were concerned about the growing number of people who were living in poverty and not receiving proper care. The United Way was established as a way to provide financial assistance to those in need.
The United Way provides funding for programs and services that help people in need. They also work to raise awareness about social issues and promote volunteerism. The United Way is one of the largest charities in the world, with over 2 million volunteers and $4.7 billion raised each year.
