Celebrating the Fourth of July with Philanthropy

As we enjoy the 4th of July weekend with family and friends, backyard barbecues, parades and fireworks, we should also remember what July 4th really means. We celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and our freedom.

Fourth of July Fun Facts

• On July 4th, 1776 there were 2.5 Americans living in the United States. According to the U.S. and World Population Clock there will be 318.36 Americans as of July 4, 2014.
• It’s estimated that 74 million Americans are planning to barbecue this Independence Day weekend.
• The USDA estimates that the total number of hogs and pigs in the U.S. (as of March 1, 2014) is 62.9 million. Chances are that a hot dog or pork sausage consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa, which is home to 19.7 million hogs and pigs.
• 6.1 billion pounds is the total estimated production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2013. There is a good chance that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for nearly one-sixth of the nation’s total production.
• 6.3 million total cases of beer are sold on Independence Day weekend, the most popular holiday for beer purchases, followed by Labor Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day and Christmas.
• 60.2% of U.S. families owned an American flag in 2011.
• 35.5 million people plan to travel by automobile over the July 4th holiday.
• 3.2 million number of travelers will fly during the Independence Day holiday.

Celebrate Philanthropy on the 4th of July Weekend

Our sense of patriotism, pride and appreciation for living in the United States remains as strong as ever, as evidenced by the many celebrations expected across the country this July 4th.

As we celebrate how proud we are to be Americans on the Fourth of July, take a moment to reflect on all the men and women of the military who have given their lives defending our country and considered ways in which you could honor their sacrifice. Why not give with confidence to military and veteran-related charities this Independence Day?

Here is a Philanthropist List of military charities that you can donate to this Fourth of July weekend:

• Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
• Armed Services YMCA of the USA
• Fisher House Foundation
• Homes For Our Troops
• Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
• Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
• National Military Family Association
• Operation Homefront – N.O.
• Semper Fi Fund / Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
• United States Veterans Initiative

The Fourth of July allows us to appreciate the lives and freedom that we have as Americans. The U.S. Military is an important service that helps to protect our country and keep it safe. Give thanks to our military for protecting our freedom by making an effort to participate in philanthropy and also encourage others to give this Fourth of July weekend!

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/07/celebrating-fourth-july-philanthropy/ 

How to Become a Philanthropist

Philanthropy is often associated with prominent and renowned people. In the past few decades, we’ve heard of famous movie stars, such as the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman, or top notch entrepreneurs and businessmen, like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, becoming philanthropists.
The association of these well-recognized people to philanthropy should not be something that discourages anyone from becoming a philanthropist. To become a philanthropist, all it takes is determination, passion and the drive to do well in your chosen field.

Here are some ways you can figure out how to make a difference and become a philanthropist:

Find your Passion
To become a successful philanthropist, you need to figure out what you truly care about. If seeing homeless people in the streets evokes a strong sense of sadness in you, figure out what you can do to help. This could be your calling – to end homelessness in your community. Another example is that if one of the people you love is suffering from cancer and you have a zeal for supporting others who are going through the same emotional roller-coaster, then organize a group that meets once a week to provide advise, support or company for people who need it.

Remember, to become a philanthropist, you need to have passion.

Spread the Word and Support the Cause

Another misconception that people may have is the link to thousands of money. When people think of philanthropy, people are quick to link writing cheques, sending it to a charity, and, figure, the work is done. Yes, philanthropy does involve raising money for the cause. However, it takes more than that. A number of causes need people to volunteer their time and educate people about that particular issue. For example, let’s say you’re raising money for researching the cure for HIV. Spreading the word could mean informing people of the common misconceptions people have of HIV patients and inspiring them to help others who are suffering from the disease.

Remember, to successfully become a philanthropist, you need to be able to inspire others.

Connect and Collaborate

In order to spread the word and advance your cause, you need to connect with like-minded people or anyone who can help you and your cause. You can contact small businesses or your local municipality to see if an opportunity is there to work with them. Don’t do it on your own. Remember, the more your work with others, the easier it is to spread your cause. Also, if you work with other people and organizations, you end up having more resources – be it people, money and time.
Remember, to become a philanthropist, you need to seize the day and take advantage of the opportunities available and work with others to advance your cause.

These are some simple ways to become a philanthropist. No matter how small your effort, it makes a difference. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/05/become-philanthropist/

Famous Philanthropists

Throughout times past there have been many famous philanthropists, from Aristotle to Victor Hugo, Benjamin Franklin to William Shakespeare, the world has been blessed with the presence of those who were highly privileged yet refused to turn a blind eye to those who were less fortunate.
As with anything throughout the course of history, philanthropy has evolved in many ways; in Ancient Rome philanthropy was built into the economic system, with the wealthiest Romans being expected to contribute wine and grain to the citizens as well as seeing to the upkeep of the city.

In ancient Greece the spirit of giving took on the form of liturgies or funding public tournaments, which benefitted not only the poor but the general public as a whole; in both societies it was believed that this giving was richly rewarded, through both the attainment of honor and the favor of the Gods.

Today’s concept of philanthropy is an interesting mix of social awareness and sound business practice; famous philanthropists from Bill Gates to Warren Buffet, Richard Branson to Mark Zuckerburg, philanthropy has taken on a whole new dimension as social entrepreneurship has entered the mix.

While the more traditional forms of philanthropy, such as willing one’s money to charity after death have long been accepted and admired, today’s most famous philanthropists are an active and passionate breed; sure, they’re contributing enormous sums of money yet at the same time they’re rolling up their sleeves and throwing themselves into the fray in an effort to find powerful and sustainable solutions to solve the world’s problems.

Some of the most notable famous philanthropists are:

Bill Gates:

Is the rich world conscious of how the 4 billion of the 6 billion people live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we’d want to get involved.

-Bill Gates

Bill Gates was the richest man in the world until he and wife Melinda donated approximately $29 billion through the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to help what Gates calls ‘the bottom 2 billion’, those who eek out a meager existence on less than $2 a day.

Passionate about making a difference, Bill and Melinda are famous philanthropists that have set an actionable goal to make a difference for the millions of children in the world under five who die due to preventable diseases; children who are lost at a staggering rate of one every 20 seconds.

The interesting part is that as of March 2014 Bill Gates had a net worth of $77.5 billion, making him once again the richest man on the planet; Bill and Melinda both are famous philanthropists who work tirelessly toward finding solid workable solutions to make the world a better place.

Warren Buffet:

If you’re in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%.

-Warren Buffet

A close friend and ally of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet has long been known for his being one of the top famous philanthropists; from raising $15.8 million through an annual auction to benefit the homeless of San Francisco to teaching free online courses aimed at teaching young people about the benefits of philanthropy and donating over $30 billion of his fortune to help those in need, Buffet’s capacity for giving is legendary.

Incidentally, Mr. Buffet is also one of the famous philanthropists of Bill Gates’ billionaire’s club known as the Giving Pledge in which membership is reliant on each billionaire pledging to allocate more than half of their fortune to social enterprises.

Richard Branson:

Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won’t make people appreciate life more, and it sends out poor messages to those who work for them. It would be so much better if that money was spent in Africa – and it’s about getting a balance.

-Richard Branson

Intrepid entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson is yet another one of the famous philanthropists whose generosity and commitment to social causes has helped to make a difference; from educational charities in Africa to supporting children with AIDS, cancer research and a host of other causes, Sir Richard is one of the famous philanthropists who is true philanthropic hero.

In 2013 he took his place among famous philanthropists who have joined Bill Gates in the Giving Pledge, and he has made the commitment to distribute over half of his fortune to finding sustainable ways to solve some of the world’s most devastating social issues.

While these three famous philanthropists are particularly notable in their passionate fight to even the playing field and distribute the world’s resources to those who live their lives oppressed by preventable illness, hunger and abject poverty, they are not alone.

From Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerburg to Anthony Robbins and Mohammed Al-Fayed, there are a number of famous philanthropists who are changing the world by giving not only their money but also their precious time to help make the world a more equitable and sustainable place; they are the new breed of philanthropist and they’re creating positive change.

It’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life.

-Oprah Winfrey

Original Source: http://philanthropistlist.com/2014/05/famous-philanthropists/