Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter

NEWS ABOUT: philanthropy

philanthropy stories: 63 news summaries

1 - 20 of 63 Stories | 1 2 3 4 Next >>

Switch to grid view »

Madoff Colleague Found Dead in Swimming Pool

Jeffry Picower faced Ponzi scheme lawsuit

Oct 25, 09 4:07 PM CDT
(Newser) - Philanthropist Jeffry Picower, who allegedly reaped billions of dollars from longtime friend Bernard Madoff's Ponzi schemes, was found dead today at the bottom of his Florida swimming pool. Efforts to revive him failed, and his death was ruled a drowning, police said. Picower, 67, wife Barbara, and their foundation were... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • fraud • lawsuit • Ponzi scheme • Bernard Madoff • Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities • Jeffry Picower • Picower Foundation • Barbara Picower

Fan Crush Crashes Bruni's New Website

Showcase for 'ultimate modern woman's' charity work collapses under onslaught

Oct 6, 09 3:48 AM CDT
(Newser) - A much-hyped website showcasing Carla Bruni's work as France's first lady crashed within minutes of its launch yesterday after receiving thousands of hits. Administrators at carlabrunisarkozy.org said the site—which describes the ex-model as "the ultimate modern woman"—couldn't cope with the demand and advised visitors to... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • Nicolas Sarkozy • France • website • Carla Bruni • first lady

 How to Spend Your 
 $333M Mega Jackpot 

Lottery pot now tops $333M

Aug 28, 09 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - With the Mega Millions jackpot at $333 million, ABC News investigates the best ways to spend it:
  • A new pad: "I would think they'd want to own a truly extraordinary home," says a real-estate agent. How about 3 townhouses in Greenwich Village, at just $16 million
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • real estate • millionaires • Mega Millions • lottery • private island • vintage car

Interview

Soros: Time for Philanthropists to Step Up in Public Sphere

Gives $200 to every underprivileged NY kid

Aug 11, 09 12:41 PM CDT
(Newser) - George Soros is giving $200 to each and every underprivileged kid in New York state, the billionaire announced today, for a total $35 million bill that will make the state eligible for another $140 million in stimulus money. Some have criticized it as a welfare-style handout, but Soros tells More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • welfare • George Soros • economic stimulus package • New York state

(Newser) - Lunch with Warren Buffett is a little cheaper this year. The anonymous winner of an eBay auction for a steak lunch with the Oracle of Omaha paid $1.68 million, down from last year’s record of $2.1 million. It’s still the second highest bid in the 10-year... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • San Francisco • New York City • eBay • Warren Buffett • steakhouse • homeless • billionaire • investor • charity auction

 How You 
 Can Shop 
 —and Help 
 the World 

A list of retail strategies to do good while you buy

Jun 24, 09 7:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - Want to do some shopping and do some good—at the same time? Sandy Stonesifer, writing for Slate, offers some ways to buy for the betterment of humanity:
  • Go for products that donate a portion of proceeds to charity—like Product (Red) iPods, which give to the Global Fund,
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • shopping • eBay • iPod • charity • online shopping • retail shopping • Gap • Product (Red) • Goodshop • TOMS • Nest • Aid to Artisans • Global Exchange • women's issues

(Newser) - At least one person looks to have benefited more from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madoff, ProPublica reports. Jeffry Picower, a secretive philanthropist and investor in medical technologies, is on the books as having withdrawn some $5.1 billion in returns from 1995 to 2008, well beyond his... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • Ponzi scheme • defrauding investors • Bernard Madoff • charitable giving • return on investment • Jeffry Picower • Picower Foundation • medical technology

(Newser) - A CD of Mikhail Gorbachev singing traditional Russian ballads has sold for $164,940 at a charity auction in London, the Guardian reports. The sole copy is now in the hands of an “anonymous British philanthropist.” The benefit was held to raise money for a foundation, named after... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • Russia • London • Soviet Union • auction • Mikhail Gorbachev • charity • album • Raisa Gorbachev Foundation • childhood cancer • benefit • ballad



 Astor Trial 
 Delayed 
 as Son 
 Visits Doc 

Trial may restart tomorrow: judge

Jun 10, 09 1:47 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Brooke Astor trial is on hold because the late philanthropist’s accused son is visiting his neurologist. Anthony Marshall—who is 85, wears a pacemaker, and has survived a heart attack and open-heart surgery—has been looking increasingly frail as the fraud trial unfolds, the New York Post notes.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • money • inheritance • Brooke Astor • Anthony Marshall • criminal trial

Giving Away
Billions Feels Great: Gates

Microsoft founder
touts philan-therapy
for world's rich

Jun 3, 09 3:58 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Gates is touting the feel-good benefits of giving away money, telling a crowd in Oslo that “all billionaires should give away the vast majority of their fortunes.” Leave enough for the kids, he says, but, “I’m a great believer that great wealth should go from... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • Bill Gates • vaccine • charity • poverty • billionaire • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • AIDS vaccine

(Newser) - Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and David Rockefeller Jr recently convened a top-secret meeting of many of the world’s wealthiest people to discuss the financial crisis, according to an Irish Central report confirmed by ABC News. A total media blackout prevailed during the get-together, which took place May 5 at... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • New York City • Bill Gates • Warren Buffett • Oprah Winfrey • Michael Bloomberg • conspiracy theory • David Rockefeller • financial crisis • Ted Turner • secrets

(Newser) - Habitat for Humanity has received a $100 million gift from a developer in the largest contribution in the charity’s history, the AP reports. J. Ronald Terwilliger said he hoped the gift would “inspire others to make the commitment to support affordable housing.” Habitat says the money will... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • charity • real estate development • donation • gift • Habitat for Humanity • home developer • Jay-ZTV

GLOSSIES

 Rich Heirs Boast 
 Money and a Job 

Having money just isn't enough for many of the world's wealthy youth

May 10, 09 5:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - Wealthy heirs are dropping their silver spoons and getting down to work, it seems. From the Mondavis to Trumps to sons and daughters of royalty, 38 heirs posing for Vanity Fair this month say they're determined not to rest on family laurels. Some are working hard at the family business... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • charity • rich • wealthy



 In Hard Times, 
 Big Donors 
 Don't Flaunt It

Some seek subtlety as neighbors struggle

May 4, 09 11:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - In hard times, big givers are staying out of the spotlight, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports. Some 19% of donations of $1 million or more in the past 10 months have been anonymous, compared with 3%-5% over the past 10 years. Donors often stay nameless to keep other charities from... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • recession • donation • anonymous • economy • charitable giving

'Giving-While-Living'
Philanthropy Dies in Ireland

Philanthropists clench fists as wealth evaporates

Apr 20, 09 7:32 PM CDT
(AP) - Like the rest of the recession-plagued world, Ireland isn’t as affluent as it used to be, but the country is especially weakened now that declining wealth is denting its burgeoning culture of philanthropy, GlobalPost reports. Three years ago, the Irish were Europe’s second-wealthiest citizens, but bad assets have... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • wealth • recession • charity • Ireland

(Newser) - The recession has led to some antipathy toward moneyed Americans, but the haves are not casting a blind eye to the have-nots' troubles, ABC News reports. Colleges across the country are seeing millions in anonymous donations designed to save endowments, and at least one hospital has spared hundreds of jobs... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • college • scholarship • recession • kindness • economic downturn • hard times

 Slumdog Makers Give 
 $740K to Educate Poor 

Fun intended to hush critics who call film 'poverty porn'

Apr 17, 09 10:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - To combat accusations that Oscar sensation Slumdog Millionaire is a form of “poverty porn,” the filmmakers have donated about $740,000 toward a health education initiative in Mumbai’s slums, the Times of London reports. The funds are in addition to trusts set up for the movie’s... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • entertainment • charity • donation • poverty • Mumbai • Slumdog Millionaire • slums • Rubina Ali • Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail

OPINION

Philanthropists Cry Foul Over Obama Budget

Higher taxes, cap on deductions may lead to $4B less in charity

Mar 10, 09 9:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Charity may be a virtue, but in America there's another motivation for philanthropy: generous tax deductions of as much as 35%. Barack Obama's proposed 2010 budget may change all that; not only will it raise taxes on the most wealthy to almost 40%, it will cap charitable deductions at a... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • Barack Obama • budget • charity • nonprofit • tax code • charitable giving

(Newser) - Bernard Madoff’s alleged mega-fraud and the large number of Jewish investors he apparently snookered is stoking anti-Semitic feeling in tony Palm Beach, ABC News reports. “It is a terrible thing to say, but some of the WASPs are delighted, they take great pleasure in this,” said an... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • fraud • Judaism • investment • Ponzi scheme • Palm Beach • anti-Semitism • scandal • Bernard Madoff • charitable giving

Madoff Scam Zaps Key Science Funds

Medical research set back years as bilked charities slash aid

Feb 12, 09 2:23 AM CST
(Newser) - Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme is sending shockwaves deep into the worlds of medicine and science as scammed charitable foundations yank funding for key research projects, reports the Wall Street Journal. Experts believe the number of people affected by the scam's impact on health care could run into the millions.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
philanthropy • fraud • medical research • Ponzi scheme • defrauding investors • Bernard Madoff

1 - 20 of 63 Stories | 1 2 3 4 Next >>


from our news partners