With all the glitz and glamor of being a celebrity comes responsibility in other aspects. For instance, it’s almost an unwritten rule that celebrities have to give to charity. From Palestine donations to helping those who aren’t too far from their doorsteps, celebrities are expected to use their privilege to assist those who aren’t as fortunate. Despite this, there are a handful of celebrities who are more well-known for their commitment to good deeds than others. To that end, detailed below are just some of the celebrities who quite famously dedicate their time and money to helping those who need it most.
George and Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney is a renowned human rights lawyer, and her practice primarily focuses on refugees and marginalized individuals. Upon meeting her husband, the pair founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice in a mission to help the most marginalized members of society. An example of the work the pair have done includes a $1 million donation to the Southern Poverty Law Center for the purpose of fighting hate crimes. This was in response to the violence caused by white nationalists in Charlottesville. Despite this, over the years, the pair have contributed much more than this to a number of charitable causes.
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand currently has a net worth of $390 million, and she has donated approximately $16 million of this net worth to charity. 1986 saw her create the Streisand Foundation, which caters to a number of causes, including human rights, voter education, environmental preservation, and women’s issues. As a result, $27 million has been donated to charity via her foundation, on top of the $16 million that she has given from her own wealth. Consequently, she has characterized herself as one of the greatest philanthropists in all of Hollywood, as well as one of the greatest musicians and actresses of all time.
Taylor Swift
Not only is Taylor Swift known for donating to various charitable causes, but she’s also renowned for helping out her fans when they needed it. Some of her most notable donations include $60,000 to the music departments of six different colleges, $100,000 to Cancer Research, and $1 million to Louisiana flood victims in 2016. What’s more, she donated to Feeding Africa and the Worl Health Organization amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of this, she offered one of her signed guitars as a means of auctioning to raise money for the National Health Service.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is a great example of a celebrity who uses their fame to influence the behavior of others to help make the world a better place. This is on top of the charity work she does herself, such as her establishment of the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, in which she’s raised over $40 million for various causes. Primarily, the Foundation is designed to help children and women find healthcare and education globally. Similarly, she lobbied for the National Child Protection Act, and 2007 alone saw her raise $50 million for healthcare and education for children and women globally. As of 2012, she had given away roughly $400 million to educational causes.
Elton John
Elton John famously lost two friends to AIDS, and this sparked his interest in helping the cause. He founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which raised around $600 million to set up HIV-related programs in 55 countries. Similarly, he hosts an annual White Tie & Tiara Ball, in which he auctions off pianos he has played in addition to other memorabilia to raise money for the cause. This is on top of the funding that he’s provided from his own pocket.