Oprah Winfrey
Special Report Philanthropy 2004
Star Power of
The Purse
When it comes to charitable giving, stars are notoriously mum about how much actually leaves their bank accounts. When asked for specifics on Tom Cruise's contributions, for example, his publicist, who is also his sister, declines to elaborate but says he prefers instead to volunteer for his favorite charities. "What's the value of a Tom Cruise hour?" she asks. There are some celebrities, though, who put their money to work, too.
Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey is the only star who qualified for our ranking of the Top 50 most generous philanthropists. She's also the first African American philanthropist to land on the list, contributing $175 million to educational initiatives at home and abroad. And with her Angel Network – in which 100% of audience donations go to nonprofits – she's inspiring her fans to follow in her charitable footsteps.
