Local Californian wildlife is endangered by traffic, especially in the Malibu area where Highway 101, also known as “the highway from hell”. To address this, the world’s largest wildlife overpass, named the “Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing” in honor of philanthropist Wallis Hubert Annenberg, who donated $34 million to the project, is under construction.
But how many and which American billionaires support philanthropy in their country? In the United States, philanthropy is a deeply rooted tradition, with many wealthy families donating part of their wealth to charitable causes. American billionaires, in particular, have a significant impact in areas such as health, education, and the environment. Donations to date have reached nearly $211 billion, with a 7% increase from 2023, which saw $27 billion in contributions.
Leading the list is Warren Buffett – the eighth richest man in the world according to Forbes – with $56.7 billion donated over his lifetime. Following is Californian MacKenzie Scott (ex-wife of Amazon owner and president Jeff Bezos), who continues to make substantial annual donations to organizations in the United States, Brazil, and India. Among the new entries is Barbara Picower, widow of Jeffry Picower, a known beneficiary of Bernie Madoff’s fraud.
The five most generous philanthropists of 2023 were Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, and MacKenzie Scott.
