Pledge of Hope

One of my favorite “givers” is Bill Gates.  He is, of course, the co-founder of Microsoft.  I have always admired Gates for his spirit of giving. My first introduction to his generosity was in the 1990’s when he donated computers to every library in North America (including Prince Albert’s library). He continued to give to many different charities and organizations over the years.

 

By now most of us have heard of his latest and most generous project in which he has pledged to give away at least half of his fortune, and he is inspiring other billionaires to give away some of their money! In 2010, Gates, his wife Melinda Gates and his friend Warren Buffet created a new organization called "The Giving Pledge". This exclusive club consists of only billionaires and they must pledge to give away at least half of their total wealth to charity during their life or after their death. The extremely wealthy in the USA are impressed, and this organization has received an incredible response.  After only three years in existence, The Giving Pledge now includes almost ninety families of billionaires!  Last week, Sir Richard Branson signed up and he has pledged to give away at least half of his vast fortune.  All indications are that he actually plans to give more than half away.  In recent months, George Lucas, Mark Zuckerberg and Ted Turner have made similar pledges.   With so many struggling families in North America, it is admirable that Gates and friends would help out in this unique and generous manner. By being very public about their donations, members of the Giving Pledge hope to inspire others to share their good fortune. They believe that when people know what others are giving, they are more likely to also give.  This is true of other billionaires, but the Giving Pledge hopes to inspire us all to donate what we can.  Big or small, every donation and act of kindness impacts the lives of others.

 

Bill Gates could have chosen live in his own world of comfort and excess, and to turn a blind eye to the hardship of others. It is interesting to note that he has fallen from number one to two on the Forbes List of Billionaires even though he continues to generate incredible wealth.  The reason Gates is no longer number one is because he has given away so much of his wealth. Imagine: in 2011, he literally gave away his title as the World’s Richest Man.  How refreshing and wonderful that he not only helps by donating half of his incredible wealth, but inspires other wealthy families to do so as well.  Gates and Buffet are now contacting  billionaires from other countries in the hope of having them join the Giving Pledge.  It will be interesting and exciting to see which billionaire is the next to sign up.  Bill Gates is an intelligent man with billions of dollars and a heart of gold who can talk the super rich into a super pledge.  One on the richest men in the world, he chose to share his wealth to help others, beginning in his own back yard.  It doesn’t get any better than that!  Sharing the wealth . . . it's a good thing!