Charity is widespread in our prosperous and benevolent society, but when it comes to philanthropy, giving comes in all shapes and sizes. In this article we examine the six different kinds of philanthropists and their best-known representatives.
1) The Celebrity Donor
Bono is the exemplar of a man using his celebrity as a force for philanthropic causes. According to Forbes’ article “Generous Celebs”, Bono has campaigned so effectively against the spread of AIDS that he was among the 191 nominees for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. He has also participated in countless fundraising concerts like Live 8, and given his time and name to the fight against sexual abuse.
2) The Generous Businessman
Warren Buffet made headlines last year when he pledged to give 83% of his gigantic $52 billion net worth to charitable work through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This unprecedented act of generosity shows that profit and benevolence can go hand-in-hand after all!
3) The Giving Athlete
Through the Curt’s Pitch program, Boston Red Sox star Curt Schilling (along with his wife Shonda) are staging one of the largest organized efforts to fund ALS research in existence. The entire Red Sox organization stands behind Curt’s efforts and actively promotes them as part of their baseball operations.
From the Curt’s Pitch website:
“As part of the program, donors receive incentive prizes from Curt and Shonda Schilling based on their level of giving. Those prizes include shirts, hats, autographed memorabilia and tickets to a reception hosted by Curt and Shonda. All proceeds benefit The ALS Association. “
4) The Kind Activist
George Soros (of MoveOn.org and Open Society fame) puts the bulk of his $8 billion net worth into philanthropy and left-wing political activism. Soros got his philanthropic start by funding political dissidents behind Stalin’s Iron Curtain during the Cold War, and currently pours tens of millions of dollars into ending African poverty. Other charitable projects include $100 million for Internet infrastructure development in Russia. In total, it is said that Soros has donated over $6 billion to philanthropy in his lifetime.
5) The Provisional Politician
Bill Clinton’s post-Presidential career has largely been a foray into philanthropy and charitable causes. Through the William J. Clinton foundation, Clinton promotes AIDS research, global public health, and the elimination of poverty. Clinton was also an active and ambitious fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina victims.
6) The Charitable Church Leader
Rick Warren is a true apostle of altruism, donating 90% of his yearly salary to charity as a matter of course. The best-selling author of “A Purpose Driven Life” has done more to advance the cause of giving than arguably any religious leader in the modern era. From his website:
“As philanthropists, Rick and Kay Warren give away 90% of their income through three charities: Acts of Mercy, which serves people with AIDS, Equipping Leaders, which trains leaders in developing countries, and The Global PEACE Fund, which fights poverty, disease, corruption, and illiteracy using local congregations.”
