Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Oprah Winfrey Tops List of Most Generous Celebs


Talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey tops the of Parade magazine's most generous celebrities, with a whopping $50.2 million in charitable donations last year.

Winfrey, 54, contributed the funds to various charities, including her own Oprah's Angel Network, which provides education, health care and advocacy for women and children worldwide. Parade's list was compiled by The Giving Back Fund from public records of donations given during 2007.

The list's No. 2 most generous celebrity was 73-year-old bandleader Herb Alpert, who dispensed $13 million to charity, including his music foundation.

Singer Barbra Streisand gave away $11 million to causes concerned with improving the environment, women's issues, civil rights and AIDS research.

Hollywood icon Paul Newman is No. 4 on the list, with a $10 million donation to Kenyon College, his alma mater, in Gambier, OH.

Actor Mel Gibson gave away $9.9 million to his Holy Family Church in Malibu, CA, while celeb power couple Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie provided $8.4 million to their foundation to benefit New Orleans reconstruction, refugee aid and cross-cultural understanding.

Three athletes - cycling champion Lance Armstrong basketball legend Michael Jordan and hockey star Eric Lindros - tied for seventh place on the list, each donating $5 million to their favorite charities.

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