Highlighted Philanthropists
Veronica Atkins
Atkins is one of the top fifty most generous philanthropists. Newsweek also proclaimed her part of the “All-Star Team" in philanthropy.
Naveen Jain
Jain has been named one of the Top 20 Entrepreneurs by Red Herring, recognized for winning the Albert Einstein Technology Medal Winner, and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007.
George Soros
The Soros Foundations are an international network of local, Soros-founded foundations promoting sociopolitical activities.
Kenneth Langone
In 1978, he partnered with Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank to found Home Depot, which today is one of the largest and most successful chains in the home improvement industry. He has contributed almost $150 million dollars to various charities.
Veronica Atkins
Veronica Atkins survives her husband, the late Dr. Robert Atkins, who conceived the highly popular Atkins Diet, which emphasizes a diet low in carbohydrates.
Veronica Atkins was born in Russia and is unknown to many. She is an adept cook and has authored two cookbooks. She also sang opera professionally for thirteen years.
According to Business Week, Veronica Atkins is one of the top fifty most generous philanthropists. Newsweek also proclaimed her part of the “All-Star Team" in philanthropy.
Veronica Atkins presides over her deceased husband’s foundation. Renamed The Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation, the organization added $40 million in assets from selling Atkins Nutritionals, his husband’s company, in 2003. When Veronica passes away, the foundation’s assets will gain Robert’s remaining trust fund and amount to $600 million. The foundation contributes to curtailing obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases worldwide.
- The Veronica Atkins Foundation funds independent clinical and scientific research on pressing health risks like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease. She has pledged around $450 million to the fund.
- The Veronica Atkins Foundation is one of a notable few endowing grants. Veronica Atkins also campaigns for relevant programs in education and public health advocacies.
- The Veronica Atkins Foundation has gifted $10 million to the Center for Weight and Health at the University of California, Berkeley, to sponsor research on nutrition and fund campaigns for obesity prevention. Center for Weight and Health is one of the few in the country devoted to prevent pediatric obesity.
- In particular, Veronica Atkins advocates purging Type II diabetes among children. Veronica Atkins she donated $16,000 to students of North Side Elementary School, which opted not to sell unhealthy, sugary snacks to raise funds for their field trip.
- Veronica Atkins also donates to select orphanages in Russia. She has endowed several professorships in America.