If you ask most people, they would tell you that those with wealth and power never do enough to help those in need. Often, people with more money, spend less, that’s often how they remain rich. However, not all million and billionaires are pinching pennies.
There’s one very well-known author who gave so much money to charity, that she actually fell off the Forbes billionaire list! Author J.K Rowling knows what it means to struggle. For a good part of her life, she’d struggled with poverty. This may be why today, Rowling is so willing to give so much to charity. For almost 10 years, Rowling and her children barely scraped by because of government welfare.
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In 1997 she wrote the first book in her Harry Potter series, which was followed by numerous blockbuster movies. The wildly popular book became a sensation among younger and older readers.
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Then in 2004, her earnings from both the book and movie catapulted her onto the Forbes “Billionaire list.”
And for seven years she remained on the Forbes billionaire list, all while continuing to donate large amounts of money. Over the course of seven years, she gave an unspecified sum, but in 2004, she donated 160 million dollars (about 16 percent of her net worth) which took her off the list. It’s clear that Rowling has a heart of gold and her empathy for those who struggle is apparent, Rowling said:
“You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently.”
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Rowling was the first author ever to make it onto the Forbes “billionaire list,” she then donated enough money to charity to lose that status.
The author created a charity called Lumos, which helped tens of thousands of orphaned kids, both in reuniting with their families or finding a new home. Lumos has also managed to help over 20,000 children stay with their families rather than go to orphanages. Knowing what it means to struggle, she also cares deeply for single-parents, often donating to One Parent Families, which is one of her favorite causes. On her website, Rowling mentions:
“Raising children in an orphanage or other institution harms their health and development. It increases their exposure to abuse and puts them at risk of future criminal activity. Children in orphanages are isolated. They are isolated from their families and their communities. They are often hidden behind walls and segregated. Even when orphanages and institutions are set up with good intentions, care is tailored to the needs of the institution, not the child. Staff struggle to cope with high numbers of children, particularly those with complex needs. Physical contact, care and attention become a luxury.”
(Cambridge, MA – June 5, 2008) – Morning Commencement Exercises. Commencement speaker J.K. Rowling acknowledges applause while standing to receive her honorary degree. Staff photo Jon Chase/Harvard News Office
Please be sure to share this inspirational story of true generosity of spirit with your friends and family.
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