At first glance this man might seem like any other pensioner, however 83-year-old Chuck Feeney has done more good with his life than 99.9% of anyone else on the planet.
For the past 30 years, Chuck has travelled around the world doing his very best to give away his $7.5 billion fortune that he made from selling cognac, perfume and cigarettes in his empire of duty-free shops. He set up a foundation known as the Atlantic Philanthropies, and has since invested $6.2 billion into education, science, health care and civil rights in the U.S., Australia, Vietnam, Bermuda, South Africa and Ireland.
Chuck Feeney has given away more than any other living person with the same wealth and is now reported to only be worth $2 million. The remaining $1.3 billion will be spent by 2016. Below is a timeline of where all that money has gone:
- 1982: Makes first grant of $7 million to Cornell. Total gifts would go on to reach $937 million.
- 1984: Transfers his 38.75% DFS ownership to Atlantic Philanthropies.
- 1988: Gives $142,000 to support the Cancer Research Institute. Worldwide cancer grants would go on to hit $370 million.
- 1990: Atlantic makes its first grant to University of Limerick to construct advanced research, conference and cultural facilities. Lifetime grants: $170 million.
- 1991: Funds peace-building and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
- 1997: Feeney goes public about his charity activities.
- 1999: Invests in Vietnam in the areas of higher education and health care.
- 2001: Funds biomedical research at Australia’s Queensland University of Technology. Total Aussie medical grants: $320 million.
- 2002: Makes grant for South Africa AIDS relief. Has invested over $117 million in South African health care.
- 2004: Begins funding efforts to abolish the death penalty in the U.S. Has invested $28 million to date.
- 2006: Starts efforts to ensure health coverage for the almost 8 million uninsured children in the U.S.
- 2008: Makes $125 million grant for medical center at the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay campus. Total UCSF grants: $290.5 million.
- 2012: With a $350 million investment, supports Cornell’s winning bid to develop NYC Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island.
- 2016: Will complete $1.3 billion worth of grants.
- 2020: The Atlantic Philanthropies will close.
What an absolute legend.
via LadBible
