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Came across this amazing story of a businessman who made a $8 Billion fortune and then proceeded to give it all away.
He is credited as the inspiration of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates.
Billionaire Chuck Feeney achieves goal of giving away his fortune
Irish-American mogul’s philanthropic foundation runs out of cash after 38 years
Chuck Feeney has achieved his lifetime ambition: giving away his $8bn (£6bn) fortune while he is still around to see the impact it has made.
For the past 38 years, Feeney, an Irish American who made billions from a duty-free shopping empire, has been making endowments to charities and universities across the world with the goal of “striving for zero … to give it all away”.
This week Feeney, 89, achieved his goal. The Atlantic Philanthropies, the foundation he set up in secret in 1982 and transferred almost all of his wealth to, has finally run out of money.
...Feeney’s generosity spurred Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to establish the Giving Pledge, under which the world’s richest people commit to giving away at least half their wealth to charity.
Gates credited Feeney with creating a path for other philanthropists to follow. “I remember meeting him before starting the Giving Pledge,” Gates said. “He told me we should encourage people not to give just 50% but as much as possible during their lifetime. No one is a better example of that than Chuck. Many people talk to me about how he inspired them. It is truly amazing.”
Buffett described Feeney as “my hero and Bill Gates’ hero – he should be everybody’s hero”.
www.theguardian.com
He is credited as the inspiration of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates.
Billionaire Chuck Feeney achieves goal of giving away his fortune
Irish-American mogul’s philanthropic foundation runs out of cash after 38 years
Chuck Feeney has achieved his lifetime ambition: giving away his $8bn (£6bn) fortune while he is still around to see the impact it has made.
For the past 38 years, Feeney, an Irish American who made billions from a duty-free shopping empire, has been making endowments to charities and universities across the world with the goal of “striving for zero … to give it all away”.
This week Feeney, 89, achieved his goal. The Atlantic Philanthropies, the foundation he set up in secret in 1982 and transferred almost all of his wealth to, has finally run out of money.
...Feeney’s generosity spurred Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to establish the Giving Pledge, under which the world’s richest people commit to giving away at least half their wealth to charity.
Gates credited Feeney with creating a path for other philanthropists to follow. “I remember meeting him before starting the Giving Pledge,” Gates said. “He told me we should encourage people not to give just 50% but as much as possible during their lifetime. No one is a better example of that than Chuck. Many people talk to me about how he inspired them. It is truly amazing.”
Buffett described Feeney as “my hero and Bill Gates’ hero – he should be everybody’s hero”.
Billionaire Chuck Feeney achieves goal of giving away his fortune
Irish-American mogul’s philanthropic foundation runs out of cash after 38 years
