Charles "Chuck" Feeney, 89, billionaire and co-founder of retail giant Duty Free Shoppers, has donated all his money to charity. He had nothing left and could not be happier than that.
Feeney founded Duty Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960 and amassed billions of dollars, while living by saving tremendously, in a modest San Francisco apartment. In a Forbes article , Feeney is referred to as the James Bond of Philanthropy, because of his secret charities.
"We have learned a lot. We would love to do things differently, but I'm glad. I'm glad I met this goal of mine while I'm alive. I thank everyone who joined my journey. And for those who ask me about my 'Give It Alive' philosophy: 'Try it, you will like it.' He told Forbes.
Over the past four decades, Feeney has donated more than $ 8 billion to charities, universities and foundations around the world through his foundation, Atlantic Philanthropy. According to Forbes, in other words, he has given 375,000% more money than his current net worth. Most charities are donated anonymously.
His generosity and numerous investments influenced Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to start Giving Pledge in 2010 - a campaign aimed at convincing the wealthiest people to give at least half of their wealth before they die.
Feeney donated large sums of money, such as $ 270 million to modernize healthcare in Vietnam, $ 3.7 billion to education, more than $ 870 million to human rights and social change, and $ 62 million to grants for abolition. deaths in the US, $ 76 million for basic Obamacare campaigns (approved law that gives all Americans access to health insurance), $ 700 million for health, $ 176 million for the Global Brain Health Institute at the University of California, etc.
On September 14 this year, Feeney completed his four-decade mission and signed documents to close the Atlantic Philanthropy.
Sources: Forbes, Observer
