Posted on 09/15/2008 3:15:20 PM PDT by iowamark
Oprah Winfrey has been proclaimed the world's biggest giver -- again.
For the seoncd year running, the day-time host topped a list of the 30 most generous celebrities for giving $50.2 million US last year through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation and Oprah's Angel Network, which fund education, health care and advocacy for women and children.
The list, now in its second year, was compiled by The Giving Back Fund, a charity that aims to encourage philanthropy.
Claiming the No. 2 spot was trumpeter Herb Alpert, who gave $13 million for education, including music lessons, through the Herb Alpert Foundation.
Three athletes also made the top 10, with cyclist Lance Armstrong, basketball star Michael Jordan and Canadian hockey player Eric Lindros giving $5 million each.
Here is the top 10 on The Giving Back Fund's list of most generous celebrities (all figures in US dollars):
1. Oprah Winfrey, $50.2 million.
"The Oprah Winfrey Foundation and Oprah's Angel Network: education, health care, and advocacy for women and children worldwide"
2. Herb Alpert, $13 million.
"The Herb Alpert Foundation: music education, including the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music"
3. Barbra Streisand, $11 million.
"The Streisand Foundation: the environment, women's issues, civil rights, AIDS research and advocacy"
4. Paul Newman, $10 million.
"Scholarship for Kenyon College, his alma mater, in Gambier, Ohio."
5. Mel Gibson, $9.9 million.
"Holy Family Church in Malibu, Calif."
6. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, $8.4 million.
"The Jolie-Pitt Foundation: New Orleans reconstruction, refugee aid, cross-cultural understanding"
7. Lance Armstrong, $5 million.
"The Lance Armstrong Foundation: cancer research, education and advocacy"
8. Michael Jordan, $5 million.
"Hales Franciscan High School, a historically black all-boys school in Chicago "
9. Eric Lindros, $5 million.
"London Health Sciences Centre, a Canadian hospital where the former hockey player was treated"
10. Rush Limbaugh, $4.2 million.
"Financial assistance to the children of Marines and law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty."
Source: The Giving Back Fund
Rush's charities include: The Marine Corp-Law Enforcement Foundation and the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society
Rush says that his actual donations exceed 5 million.
whay about keith richards...where is he on the list?
When Oprah donates, it always seems to be a PRESS EVENT.
“Rush Limbaugh, $4.2 million.
“Financial assistance to the children of Marines and law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.”
OK. This is probably the ebay auction of the Reid letter.
Rush sold it for 2.1 million and said he would match it. That is 4.2 million. But we all know Rush gives a lot more. I’m sure he isn’t releasing his charity list to Parade- this is just the obvious info they got.
For instance, Rush runs a “radiothon” every year for leukemia. I’m sure he gives them a hefty amount.
Show me % to gross income, that is what I’d like to see.
I wonder where Joe Biden ranks.
So, does that dollar figure actually represent what that particular celebrity gave out of his/her own pocket, or does it represent what that person’s charitable organization gave?
Not to take anything away from Oprah, but she often gets credit for giving away cars and things on her shows when actually, the cars are donated by the automotive industry. That is just one example. I’m sure the same type of thing happens with the others on this list.
I got really disgusted a few years ago when I discovered that many of these celebrities get PAID BIG MONEY to host and/or even show up to a fundraising event! So, I guess if they show up for free, they consider their waived fee to be a donation worth tens of thousands?!!! Some of them are just so freaking GREEDY!
Again, many of them are indeed GENEROUS. I just felt this was a good place to have my little rant.
Where’s Obama on the list?
And remember Jolie Pitt are TWO people, so they should really divide their contributions.
I’d also question Barbara Streisand. What does her foundation do? From the description, it sounds like a political organization.
I don’t count political advocacy as charity. Now Paul Newman, who is also a lib, gave scholarship money to a college. I consider THAT a charity.
Black women and children ONLY.
10. Rush Limbaugh, $4.2 million. "Financial assistance to the children of Marines and law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty."
Funds go to children regardless of race.
Where is Matt Damon and Mrs. Matt Damon, ya know, Ben Affleck??
No one I know has ever seen a penny of all that! Thanks a bunch celebrities, known for being known!
When I read the NY Times article on Rush, even they said he can drop %5000 as a tip. To me that’s a gift.
Now I knew a kid who did some work for Streisand. I won’t tell you what they said about her, but nice tips they didn’t get, believe me.
Whoops. That was supposed to be a $5000.
What about the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation? Oprah is the world’s biggest giver? Yahh right.
“I wonder where Joe Biden ranks.”
I heard something about this last week. I think his financial info shows they gave a little over $300 (that’s THREE HUNDRED dollars) last year or the year before.
At least he didn’t donate his used underwear as Clinton did.
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On their just-filed 2006 tax return, Obama and his wife, a hospital administrator, reported taxable income of $983,626 and claimed deductions for $60,307 in charitable donations. In 2005 they earned a combined $1.65 million and gave away about $77,300.
In 2002, the year before Obama launched his campaign for U.S. Senate, the Obamas reported income of $259,394, ranking them in the top 2 percent of U.S. households, according to Census Bureau statistics. That year the Obamas claimed $1,050 in deductions for gifts to charity, or 0.4 percent of their income.
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