Giving While Living
“And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you’ll like it.
A recent article in Forbes reported the conclusion of Chuck Feeney’s journey to give away his fortune. The article was titled “The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke.”
Charles “Chuck” Feeney, 89, who cofounded airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960, amassed billions while living a life of monk-like frugality. Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his own foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. And he did it all anonymously. Because of this clandestine, globe-trotting giving campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy. And his example ignited a fire storm of radical generosity by other plutocrats (more than 210 billionaires have signed the Giving Pledge to date). Warren Buffet said of him; “Chuck’s been the model for us all. If you have the right heroes in life, you’re 90% of the way home. Chuck Feeney is a good hero to have.”
In 2019, in an article title Zero Is the Hero, Feeney summarized his mission in a few sentences. “I see little reason to delay giving when so much good can be achieved through supporting worthwhile causes. Besides, it’s a lot more fun to give while you live than give while you’re dead.” Now at the conclusion of his journey to “broke,” Feeney tells Forbes.
“We learned a lot. We would do some things differently, but I am very satisfied. I feel very good about completing this on my watch. My thanks to all who joined us on this journey. And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you’ll like it.”
Key Texts
Psalm 39:6
Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
1 Timothy 6:6–7
But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
Luke 3:11
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Luke 12:19–21
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Key Topics
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