Featured Philanthropist
AL GORE
Al Gore served as the Vice President of the United States, under President Bill Clinton. A Democrat from Tennessee, he has spent much of his life concerned with environmental issues, global climate change, and environmental policy.
Warren Buffet
Buffett chose to give the bulk to his estate, 10 million class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway, to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Jimmy Carter
Carter has been the most visible proponent of Habitat for Humanity since 1984. Habitat for Humanity is a charitable NGO that provides affordable housing for the poor.
Catherine B. Reynolds
is the first person to develop supplementary structures to educational loans that are backed by private funds. She has also pioneered a reasonably-priced loan origination system among other programs to refine the state of education.
The Power of Philanthropy
The American Heritage Dictionary defines philanthropy as (1) the effort/inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations; (2) love of humankind in general; (3) something, such as an activity or institution, intended to promote human welfare. Faces of Philanthropy examines this definition by looking at specific individuals who practice philanthropic activities.
The United States has a long history of individuals giving to meet various social needs. For example, Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of America, founded the University of Pennsylvania. More recently, Lance Armstrong campaigned for the cause of cancer. His organization, Live Strong, raises funds for cancer related organizations and draws attention to medical content and concerns about cancer.
In addition to individuals, Families of Philanthropy also exist and possess a long history of giving, including the University of Chicago, founded by the Rockefeller family. In addition to funding schools of higher education, philanthropists have also given money to increase access to higher education. Faces of Philanthropy examines all these types of philanthropy.
Today, the tradition of philanthropy continues. The Gates Foundation, an Institution of Philanthropy established by Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, awards scholarships to high achieving high school seniors who could not otherwise afford an undergraduate education. Institutions of higher learning continue to benefit from philanthropists’ generous natures.
Corporate Charitable Activities and the concept of social business practices became popular after WWII. The federal government could no longer meet the needs of all the people. As a result businesses instituted their own form of philanthropy to take care of their employees. Companies like Merek, a pharmaceutical provider, donate funds to blood drives and disaster relief. CEMEX USA, a provider of cement for local infrastructure needs, supports causes concerning the environment and education.
No singular profile marks a philanthropist. Many individuals who appear on Faces of Philanthropy have inherited their fortunes and have been raised to give to programs to better society. Others are self-made and wish to use their fortune to improve the world. Andrew Carnegie, in his essay, "The Gospel of Wealth," bases his thesis on the idea that philanthropy is a responsibility of the self-made wealthy. Carnegie believed that redistributing wealth in such a manner so that the money would be well used, and not wasted on frivolity. Carnegie has been quoted as saying: "I would as soon leave my son a curse as the almighty dollar."
The individuals profiled on Faces of Philanthropy have spent much of their lives and many of their dollars to contribute to society in positive ways. Most of their philanthropic acts fall under the primary and tertiary definitions of philanthropy.