Luxist

Shaquille O'Neal Pays For Shaniya Davis's Funeral

Deidre Woollard — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:01:00 EST

The other day we were discussing the many careers of Shaquille O'Neal (his most recent adventure has him curating an art show) but basketball star Shaquille O'Neal is also known for his big heart. He was reportedly so touched by the terrible story of five-year-old Shaniya Davis, a child who was kidnapped, raped, and murdered in North Carolina, that he paid for the little girl's funeral. It was announced through a spokesperson for the Cleveland Cavaliers that O'Neal had gotten in touch with the family to see what he could do to help. The story of Shaniya Davis was also shown on the Oprah show recently.

The Fayetteville Observer reports that more than 2,000 people attended the funeral at Manna Church on Sunday. She was buried at Fayetteville Memorial Cemetery. The funeral home did not reveal the cost of the service but Corey Breece, of Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, did say that a child's funeral "averages around $4,500."

The child's mother, Antoinette Davis has been charged with human trafficking and other charges and Mario McNeill has been charged with first degree kidnapping, murder and rape in the case.

O'Neal is known for his charity work and recently took part in a toy drive for children.

[via CNN]

Shaquille O'Neal Pays For Shaniya Davis's Funeral originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Own Original Works of Art - MoMA and Peter Norton Team Up To Raise Money for P.S. 1

Deb West — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Art, Charity, Holiday Guides, Big Givers

Would you like to own a unique piece of privately commissioned artwork? Now is your chance. The Museum of Modern Art in New York is offering up for sale limited quantities of collectible works.

Entrepreneur and art collector, Peter Norton is known not only for his genius in creating computer software but for commissioning art and for his philanthropy. Every year since 1988 he has asked artists whose work he collects to create unique pieces to be sent as gifts to his family and friends. This year he is donating various pieces to be sold to the public through MoMA with all proceeds to go to P.S. 1. For those who are not familiar with P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center it is one of the oldest and largest non-profit art institutions in the United States. It is an exhibition space and devotes its resources to displaying experimental contemporary art.

Some of the artworks featured include:
Untitled (Condoms), Daniel Martinez, 1990
Freedom, a Fable: A Curious Interpretation of the Wit of a Negress in Troubled Times, Kara Walker, 1997
Untitled (Dollhouse), Yinka Shonibare, 2002
Untitled (Music Box), Christian Marclay, 2005 (shown above)

Certain items can be bought individually with prices ranging from $150 to $1,000 dollars, while other pieces must be purchased as a complete MoMA set" for $6,200. To see a samples of the various works in person, head to the bookstore on the second floor of the museum, otherwise the works can be viewed and ordered online.

Gallery: Own Original Works of Art - MoMA and Peter Norton Team Up To Raise Money for P.S. 1

Own Original Works of Art - MoMA and Peter Norton Team Up To Raise Money for P.S. 1 originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panerai Collectors Come Together For a Good Cause

Jared Paul Stern — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Timepieces, Art, Charity, Big Givers

Diehard enthusiasts and collectors of famed Italian watch brand Panerai, known as the Paneristi, came together recently to raise money for those less fortunate. The global members of enthusiast site Paneristi.com celebrated the online forum's 10th anniversary with an event at artist and Panerai collector Eng Tay's Tribeca studio. Tay (above) created a special series of images showing an outstanding collection of vintage and classic Panerai timepieces along with his artwork for a calendar celebrating Paneristi.com's 10th anniversary. All profits from the limited edition $300 calendar are being donated to The Mulliganeers, a children's charity created by Paneristi.com moderator and founder Paddy Conway. Most copies of the collector's item sold out within two weeks but there a few left; you can contact Paddy@CotswoldGardens.com for info. on ordering.

Panerai Collectors Come Together For a Good Cause originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12th Annual Collaborating for a Cure Cancer Benefit

Jared Paul Stern — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, Charity, Big Givers

On Nov. 18 the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) will stage its 12th annual Collaborating for a Cure benefit dinner and auction at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. Building on the success of last year's event (above), which featured a concert by Steely Dan, this year's festivities include a Steve Winwood performance and a charity auction led by Sotheby's' C. Hugh Hildesley. Sure to attract high bids will be 5 pairs of tickets to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Nov. 19, an eye-popping display of supermodels in lingerie. The SWCRF, founded by Dr. Samuel Waxman in 1975, is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization that focuses on the most promising strategies for developing cures and treatments for many types of cancers, as well as preventative measures. SWCRF is at the cutting edge of research into alternatives to the traditional treatments of chemotherapy and radiation.

12th Annual Collaborating for a Cure Cancer Benefit originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Founder's Big Hawaiian Donation

Deidre Woollard — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:01:00 EST

Filed under: Big Givers

Hawaiian charities got a big boost this week when eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam announced a plan to donate $50 million over six years to the Hawaii Community Foundation. The donation is said to be the largest single gift by a living donor in Hawaii's history. The money will be used to fund community initiatives. The Omidyar Ohana Fund has been set up at the Foundation to enable the Omidyars and the Foundation to work together on key projects. Of particular issue lately is the effect that the economy has had on the state. Hawaii's tourism-based economy has taken a hard hit in the past year.

Since the Omidyars returned to Hawaii in 2006 (they both grew up at least partly in Hawaii) they have supported a number of causes including backing the expansion of Ma`o Organic Farms in Wai`anae and its farm-to-school program for young adults. They also launched the Ulupono Initiative, a social investment organization that makes nonprofit grants and investments that address local sustainability issues such as renewable energy, local food production and waste reduction.

[via Honolulu Advertiser]

eBay Founder's Big Hawaiian Donation originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sergey Brin's Latest Donation

Deidre Woollard — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Charity, Big Givers

Google co-founder Sergey Brin seems to be finding his sea legs when it comes to philanthropy. Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki have announced a $1 million gift to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a group which helped his family when he was just a little boy from the Soviet Union. The society provides protection and assistance to some of the most vulnerable refugee populations around the world and also offers information, training, and expert advice on immigration laws.

Sergey Brin has an estimated wealth of $16 billion but he and his wife are learning about what their money can do. They have given away $30 million so far to various organizations including the Michael J. Fox Foundation and other research organizations devoted to Parkinson's disease. In a NY Times article on the latest donation Brin cited Bill Gates' research-heavy philanthropic model as an inspiration.

The Brin family came to the U.S. 30 years ago and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society helped them leave the Soviet Union for the United States and assisted with getting them visas and tickets and giving them money (what an excellent return on their investment). Brin started social networking site, mystory.hias.org, on the society's website to for Russian Jewish immigrants to post their stories. The gift will be used for a variety of purposes including supporting advocacy on immigration policy.

Sergey Brin's Latest Donation originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Varvatos, Hilfiger & More at Oceana New York Launch

Jared Paul Stern — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Events, Charity, Green, Big Givers

Oceana, an international nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans, celebrated the launch of Oceana New York on Monday night with a star-studded bash at the stunning penthouse of socialite philanthropists Alexander and Brenda Schweickhardt (above, far right). A tableaux vivant of mermaids entertained guests at the event, which was sponsored by Tiffany & Co., including Sam Waterston and Sue Cohn Rockefeller (above, far left), John Varvatos and wife Joyce (above, center) Jeff Goldblum, Gina Gershon, Tommy Hilfiger and wife Dee, New York Jets tackle Damien Woody, New York Gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio, and socialtes Denise Rich, Bettina Zilkha and Jean Shafiroff. Since its founding in 2001, Oceana has achieved several major victories including protecting more than 640 million acres of ocean habitat.

Varvatos, Hilfiger & More at Oceana New York Launch originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even in a Recession, Philanthropy Can Be Sexy

Jared Paul Stern — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Events, Charity, Big Givers

Perhaps we should say especially in a recession. The Tycher Family Foundation, based in New York, strives to create a network of young professionals who share a common goal: to donate their time and money towards a worthy cause. The other night the Foundation threw an event at the hip new Bowery Hotel, dubbed "A Truly HAPPY Hour," benefiting Met Council, one of New York's largest human service agencies and an affiliate of UJA Federation of New York. Guests including the attractive trio above enjoyed gourmet hors d'oeuvres, sipped cocktails and bid on silent auction items such as VIP passes to the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge, tickets to an episode taping of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, a weekend in South Beach at the W Hotel, and a jaunt to Nantucket via private jet. Selecting one deserving charity each year, the Tycher Family Foundation hosts an exciting and memorable evening, underwriting 100% of the evening's costs to ensure that all revenue - from ticket sales to silent auction earnings - go directly to the chosen charity.

Even in a Recession, Philanthropy Can Be Sexy originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Philanthropic Philatelist Strikes Again

Deidre Woollard — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Big Givers

We've seen PIMCO founder Bill Gross sells off some of his philatelic treasures for a good cause before, now he's at it again, selling a portion of his stamp collection to benefit a Smithsonian museum. Next month, Gross, who I've dubbed the Philanthropic Philatelist, will sell off two portions of his extensive stamp collection to raise funds for the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Estimated to bring $3 million. many of the 214 Civil War-era Confederate States and early Canadian postage stamps are one-of-a-kind or the finest known.

The auction will be conducted by Spink Shreves Galleries in New York City and online, November 19, 2009. All proceeds of the sale will be donated by Gross and his wife, Sue, to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. Items include a unique 1861 Confederate postage stamp from Mount Lebanon, Louisiana that is the world's only known stamp misprinted with a mirror image of the intended design. In 1999 Gross paid a record $385,000 for the stamp that is still affixed to the envelope on which it was mailed nearly 150 years ago. A mint condition 1851 Canadian 12 pence denomination black stamp depicting a young Queen Victoria of England is estimated to sell for $150,000 or more.

Gross has pledged $8 million to create a 12,000 square-foot gallery in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum's planned, new street level facility in Washington, DC and proceeds from this auction will be part of that donation. "With all sale proceeds being given to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, I hope that all collectors will aggressively participate in these two auctions, not only to add wonderful rarities to their collections, but to help ensure that future generations of collectors will be created and introduced to the hobby we all enjoy," said Gross.

UPDATE: This sale brought in $3.2 million.

Gallery: Bill Gross Auction

The Philanthropic Philatelist Strikes Again originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blige & Bloomberg Step Out for NY Women's Foundation Gala

Jared Paul Stern — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Events, Charity, Big Givers

Grammy award winning R&B songstress Mary J. Blige and Mayor Michael Bloomberg were the star attractions at the The New York Women's Foundation (NYWF) Fall Dinner 2009 the other night held at Manhattan's chic Gotham Hall.

Blige (right) performed at the exclusive event, where guests included socialites Agnes Gund, Anne Bass, Muffie Potter Aston, Sharon Bush, Debbie Bancroft, Jean Shafiroff, Denise Rich, and designer Catherine Malandrino.

Stepping Up Awards were presented to New Yorkers who "serve as role models of courageous leadership, vision and commitment to women and girls as individuals and as partners," including Elizabeth and Herbert Sturz and Sheryl WuDunn and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nicholas D. Kristof.

Established in 1987 as a public philanthropy, the NYWF strategically funds organizations and programs that move women, girls and families towards long-term economic security through individual transformation and systemic change.

Blige & Bloomberg Step Out for NY Women's Foundation Gala originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Soap Project

Annie Scott — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Big Givers

The Global Soap Project is a new initiative to recycle the bazillions of bars of soap that hotels throw away every day.

You know how some luxury hotels replace your bar of soap every day, even if you barely touched it? Derreck Kayongo, a former refugee from Uganda, saw this not as hopeless wastefulness, but as an opportunity. The Global Soap Project collects these partial bars of soap, sterilizes and reshapes them and redistributes them at refugee camps in Africa. How'w that for thinking outside the box?

There are currently 40 hotels participating in the Global Soap Project, one of which is The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta (above). The project is currently localized in Atlanta and serving Uganda, but both Kayongo and Ritz-Carlton manager Olivia Brown hope to expand it.

We at Luxist think this is a great idea and a great way to make hotels more sustainable!

Global Soap Project originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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George Soros Plans Billion-Dollar Climate Change Investment

Deidre Woollard — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Big Givers

Billionaire George Soros has made a big move for climate change. Recently in Copenhagen he announced that he will commit more than $1 billion of his estimated $13 billion fortune to clean energy investments and political efforts which help to benefit the environment. The money could help startups with an eco focus get much needed money to go forward at a time when venture capital is at a major low. Analysts say that Soros will likely focus on "mezzanine" investments helping relatively mature startups with some proven success get to the next level. Soros is a savvy investor and this isn't strictly an altruistic move. He says that he is looking for opportunities that will be both profitable and "make a real contribution to solving the problem of climate change." Soros also pledged $100 million over a 10-year period to the Climate Policy Initiative, a foundation created "to protect the public interest against special interests."

George Soros Plans Billion-Dollar Climate Change Investment originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gap Founders Art Collection Finds A Home At Last

Deidre Woollard — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Art, Big Givers, Wealth

Gap founders Donald and Doris Fisher have finally found a home for their art collection. The pair spent years trying to build their own museum in San Francisco's Presidio but dropped those plans after facing major opposition from residents and city officials. Instead the large collection of contemporary art will have a home at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

It's a huge get for the museum, the collection is a 1,100-piece assortment of works by 185 contemporary artists with many fine pieces from Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Chuck Close and Andy Warhol and could be worth nearly $1 billion. Donald Fisher released a written statement that said in part: "San Francisco is where we raised our family and opened our first Gap store, and we want to give back to the city we love by sharing the art that means so much to us."

The museum is already in the planning phase for a major expansion and the Fisher Collection will be on display in a new wing. Works from the collection will be shown with the museum's existing holdings in modern and contemporary art. The works will go into an art trust and the pieces will be on loan to the museum for 25 years. The first peek at the art will come next summer when some of the works are shown as part of the museum's 75th anniversary celebration.

Gap Founders Art Collection Finds A Home At Last originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What Oprah & Obama Will Be Watching This Weekend

Jared Paul Stern — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events, Charity, Children, Big Givers

No, not the latest bloated-budget Hollywood thriller, but something much closer to home: The Providence Effect, an award-winning documentary about Providence-St. Mel, a small school in Chicago's gritty East Garfield Park that has achieved an incredible 100% college acceptance rate against all odds.

Oprah deserves at least some of the credit; she gave the school $1 million to help fund the educational juggernaut that has been called the future of education. Obama meanwhile visited the school in 1998 and gave an incredible inspirational speech that showed he was destined for the highest office in the land.

The movie centers on the equally inspiring journey of the school's principal Paul J. Adams III, who has challenged the Chicago school system for 30 years with his revolutionary approaches to teaching, and also founded the Providence Englewood Charter School. Of course the Obamas and Oprah have been sent copies to view in their personal screening rooms, but the film opens in select theaters nationwide this Friday.

What Oprah & Obama Will Be Watching This Weekend originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Constellation Brands Donates New York Winery To School

Deidre Woollard — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:01:00 EST

Filed under: Wine, Big Givers

Constellation Brands is making a big gift of one of their wineries. The Widmer winery in upstate New York will be donated to the Rochester Institute of Technology to round out their programs in culinary arts, viticulture and sustainable farming. Constellation announced that it will close Widmer Winery in 2011, moving the production of Manischewitz, Widmer, Paul Masson and Taylor wines to its Canandaigua Winery. Many of Widmer's 55 employees will be given jobs at Canandaigua.

Widmer has a long history. John Jacob Widmer bought his first New York farmland in 1882 and the Widmer wine business started in 1888 back when orders were filled only in kegs and barrels. During the years of Prohibition, Widmer's Wine Cellars produced unfermented grape juice, fruit and wine jellies, syrups as well as a limited amount of wine for sacramental and medicinal use. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Widmer went back into the wine business. Over the years the Widmer business grew to 860 acres of land on which there are 220 vine acres with 640 vines to the acre.

Constellation Brands Donates New York Winery To School originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Businessman Lowers Donation, Loses Name Above The Door

Deidre Woollard — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:02:00 EST

Filed under: Big Givers

The big donations often result in getting your name on the door, whether it be having a gallery at a museum, a wing in a hospital or a building at a university. But if you back out on your investment, be prepared to see your name stripped from the project. That's what has happened to businessman Barry Kaye. He had pledged a $16 million gift to Florida Atlantic University's College of Business but when he changed his mind and reduced his total endowment gift to $3.9 million he lost the honor to have his name on the door (and on the university website). The Palm Beach Post says that even the university's Wikipedia entry was quickly updated. His name remains on the buildings but that will change as well. Kaye's money means that he does get to keep his name on some things at FAU. Trustees voted to create the Barry Kaye Program of Risk Management and Insurance within the school. Kaye owns Barry Kaye Associates which offers life insurance and estate planning services.

Businessman Lowers Donation, Loses Name Above The Door originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subway Co-Founder Buys Things To Give Them Away

Deidre Woollard — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:02:00 EST

Filed under: Jewelry, Big Givers

Some collectors wait until they have left this earth to see their treasures head to the museum. Not nuclear physicist and Subway co-founder Peter Buck. He buys things just to give them away. The Washington Post interviews Buck who in 2004 bought one of the world's most stunning rubies and donated it to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in memory of his late wife. The Carmen Lúcia ruby is shown at right. More recently Buck acquired a 224-year-old George Washington letter which will also go to the National Museum of American History spending $250,000 to buy the document and arrange for its care.

Carmen's longtime jeweler Frank Cappiello brokered the beginning of the relationship between the Smithsonian and Buck. The letter Buck purchased was sent in 1785 and was kept in the family of the recipient until recently when it was sold to a dealer who sold it to Cappiello who then sold it to Buck, who hasn't seen the letter in person yet. Buck's generosity inspires a certain amount of envy, many organizations and individuals would love to have access to the ear and wallet of a billionaire. For Buck's part there seems to be pleasure not in as much in acquiring the specific goods but in being able to share them with the visitors to the Smithsonian.

Subway Co-Founder Buys Things To Give Them Away originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good Architecture for a Good Cause in Newport

Jared Paul Stern — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Charity, Big Givers

The other day my colleague Alison Wellner reported on Newport, Rhode Island's Cliff Walk controversy over the much disputed public right-of-way. Not everything going on in the famed seaside town is controversial, however; on a brighter note, The George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom just celebrated the opening of the new Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. Visitors Center (above), which has won praise for great design complementing its historical context. The Loeb Center is located at Touro Synagogue, the oldest functioning synagogue building in the nation. First dedicated in 1763, it was designed by America's first architect, Peter Harrison.

The Institute's mission is to promote awareness of the historic roots of religious liberty in America. In addition to the Loeb Visitors Center, the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom supports educational and scholarship programs for individuals seeking to learn about and discuss the origins and development of American religious liberties. John L. Loeb Jr. is the Chairman of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom and is the former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Through the Institute, he donated both the land and the new Visitors Center building. The Loeb Center further interprets and celebrates the history and architecture of Touro Synagogue, renowned for its beauty.

The Loeb Visitors Center features interactive, multimedia exhibits exploring the meaning and importance of George Washington's 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, the first and clearest presidential expression of support for American's constitutional right to the free exercise of religious belief and the separation of church and state. Writing about the Loeb Center in the Providence Journal, architecture critic David Brussat noted, "It is obviously a classical building, yet it is unlike any other. No work of classicism could possibly depart from canon with greater dignity, hence no building could possibly fit onto a historic street with greater distinction."

Good Architecture for a Good Cause in Newport originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American Philanthropist Makes Big Donation In Australia

Deidre Woollard — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Big Givers

Billionaire Chuck Feeney is in the news again with another big donation. He has pledged more than $100 million Australian to the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Queensland, Australia. The money will be used to help fund three major new research institutes and hopefully attract more top scientists to Brisbane. Feeney's Atlantic Philanthropies has donated more than $270 million to Queensland scientific and medical research over the past decade.

Why would and Irish-American philanthropist be giving away big money in Australia? Feeney is quoted in Australia's Courier Mail as saying that when he visited Queensland he found a "lot of people worthy of support and not getting it and I was pleased to help." He is hoping that the work he funds in Queensland can improve health around the globe. Projects said to be on tap include researching breast cancer susceptibility genes and the genetic risk of schizophrenia, as well as funding clinical trials of a new malaria vaccine. Ian Frazer, the inventor of the cervical cancer vaccine, is behind the Translational Research Institute at Princess Alexandra Hospital, one of the institutes that Feeney is funding and the amount of scientists in the area has been on the rise. Frazer is currently at work on a skin cancer vaccine.

American Philanthropist Makes Big Donation In Australia originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buffett Lunch Brings In $1.68 Million

Deidre Woollard — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Charity, Big Givers

It's not quite as good as last year's $2.1 million but the Glide Foundation is still excited by the $1.68 million brought in by this year's charity auction to have lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett. The total is the second highest result for the annual auction. The Glide Foundation provides social services to San Francisco's homeless and poor. Buffett's late wife Susan was once a volunteer for Glide and Buffet's lunches have now raised more than $5.92 million for the charity since the auctions began in 2000. Last year's winner recently enjoyed his $2.1 million lunch with the Oracle of Omaha in New York City. This year's winner has decided to remain anonymous for the time being.

Why pay so much money for lunch with Buffett? The winner gets more than just a meet and greet with the billionaire. Mohnish Pabrai who won the 2007 auction for $650,100 told Bloomberg that both Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger "have been very gracious with access since the lunch." He has had two meetings with them since his lunch last June. The 2006 winner, Yongping Duan, who paid $620,100 for his lunch has said that he is always invited to the Sunday brunch that follows Berkshire Hathaway's popular annual shareholder meeting.

The 2008 winner Zhao Danyang of Hong Kong, brought his wife, son and friends for lunch with Buffett last week at Smith & Wollensky in New York City. Buffet already said after the lunch that he will see more of last week's winners. Zhao said of the lunch that the experience "can't be measured by money." Sounds like another satisfied customer.

Buffett Lunch Brings In $1.68 Million originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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