Bill Gates, The World’s Best-Known Philanthropist
The name of Bill Gates is probably one of the most well known American names throughout the world. He has probably touched more lives throughout the world than any other person alive today. Through his development of Microsoft Computers and the advancements of the electronics industry, the world has become one in the information age. Through the works of his philanthropy efforts, more people than can be counted, have been touched.
Gates was born in Seattle, Washington. He attended Harvard, but technically “dropped out” to go do some developments of electronic equipment. Several years later, this college drop out was the CEO of Microsoft, and the richest man in the world. He was not content with improving Microsoft and getting richer. He decided he wanted his money to be put to good use. In 1994 he sold some of his Microsoft stock to start the William Gates Foundation. In 2000, he and his wife established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest operated charitable foundation in the world. It has numerous sub-foundations under it. Gates has made a pledge to give over half of his wealth to charity.
Gates interests are Global as well as at national. He has given to the Indian Ocean Earthquake charities which include: Care, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, World Vision, Kashmir Earthquake, and so on. He has given $1.2 million over a 3 year period to help make water, sanitation and hygiene services safer and more affordable in Kashmir. Food, Clothing, Educational programs over the globe are traced back to the Gates Foundations.
In the United States, some of the philanthropy goes to popular items like National Public Radio. Libraries are supported nationwide with grants, computers and software, and training and technical support. Responding to the claim that 1 in 5 students are graduating illiterate, the Gates foundation has invested more than $250 million in grants to create new small schools, and to create the schools within schools programs. Cornell University is the recipient of a $60 million grant for a new Information Science Building. Carnegie Mellon received $20 million for a new Computer Science building. $122 million helped send hundreds of District of Columbia’s poorest students to college. Nothing but gratitude should be expressed to this “college dropout” for sharing his wealth. How much of your wealth – big or small – do you share?