We all give money to charity – be it your cousin’s sister-in-law’s 10k run round Daventry or your brother’s Movember.
These following people however did not just hand over a few hundred pounds – they have handed over billions of pounds to charitable organisations across the world.
Given Saudi Prince Al-Waheed bin Talal’s latest pledge to donate his £32 billion fortune to charity, we should probably look at some of the biggest philanthropists alive today.
The 21st century has seen the great philanthropists of the Victorian era eclipsed by modern-day tech magnates such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg making incredibly large donations to good causes.
So here are some of the greatest donors living today:
Bill Gates – £17.9billion
The Microsoft founder has donated $28 billion (£17.9) of his fortune to his and his wife Melinda’s own charity, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
As The Richest reported, His charitable donations are not over as he and Melinda have pledged to donate in total 95 percent of his personal fortune.
So more billions on the way.
Warren Buffet – £11billion
A friend of Bill Gates and the third richest man in the world with a personal fortune of £47 billion, Warren Buffet is no slouch in the investment game.
While Mr Buffet has not only donated £11 billion to the Gates Foundation but signed a joint pledge with Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg promising to donate over half of their fortunes to charity over time. He has separately promised to donate 99 per cent of his wealth.
Warren Buffet is famous for his modest lifestyle, having lived in the same suburban family home in Omagh, Nebraska for over fifty year since buying it for less than $40,000 in 1956.
George Soros – £5.1billion
Currently ranked 29th on the Forbes Rich list with an estimated fortune of £15.4 billion, George Soros has donated his wealth to educational and healthcare institutes across the world.
He received much acclaim for financially supporting black students in Apartheid South Africa and backing progressive institutions in Eastern Europe during the Cold War.
Gordon Moore – £4.3billion
Technology pioneer and Intel founder Gordon Moore donated $6.8 billion (£4.2 billion) to his and his wife’s charity – the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
The foundation has sponsored conservation of the environment, nursing education and varied fields of science.
Mark Zuckerberg – £319million
On becoming the 16th richest man in the world after taking Facebook public, Mark Zuckerberg has taken the concept of philanthropy very seriously signing the donation pledge mentioned above with Mr Buffet and Gates.
He and his wife have been donating shares to various causes such as $100 million (£63.9 million) to public schools in New Jersey in 2010 and 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation valued in 2012 at $498 million (£319 million).
John and Laura Arnold – £271million
This billionaire hedge fund manager and his corporate lawyer wife set up the Laura and John Arnold Foundation which is aimed at improving criminal justice and primary and secondary school education across the United States.
Less sexy than fighting for world peace but this power couple’s foundation has already donated over $100 million in educational grants – no small feat.
This list of big givers is not only joined by Prince Al-Waheed bin Talal but by hedge fund manager John Paulson who donated a whopping $400 million (£255 million) to Harvard University to thank the Ivy League college for his education.
This is the biggest donation the university has ever received beating the previous record made last year when venture capitalists Ronnie and Gerald Chan, made a $350 million (£223 million) donation to the school of public health.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/03/here-are-the-worlds-biggest-charity-donors-were-talking-billions-5276452/#ixzz4LfKRVqxm