We all come to life empty handed and end our life empty handed. We can’t leave this world with our riches. Though this is one of the prudent facts of our life, most people in world are worried about giving their time, energy and money. They feel, if they give, they will be left with nothing.
Giving is purely about the attitude than the act itself. Once we develop the heart of a giver, we start experiencing that we will never ever fall short of anything in life. Sometimes we may not have the resource to give; however, the will to give would enable us to find a way to help the person in need. It is often the biggest nightmare of people who want to give their best; they feel they won’t be appreciated for their time, energy, money, affection etc that they give. If you give expecting something back in return from the person or organisation, then be prepared to be disappointed.
Today, I want to introduce Chuck Feeney who is an Irish-British-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune as a co-founder of the Hong Kong based Duty Free Shoppers Group and he is the founder of the Atlantic Philanthropies, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world which is closed down in 2020. Feeney was born in New Jersey during the Great Depression and came from a modest background of blue- collared Irish-American parents. He served as a U.S. Air Force radio operator during the Korean War, and began his career selling duty free liquor to U.S. naval personnel at Mediterranean ports in the 1950s.
Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. In 2012, he estimated he had set aside about $2 million for his and his wife’s retirement. In other words, he’s given away 375,000% more money than his net worth in 2012. And, it is significant to note that he gave it away anonymously. While many wealthy philanthropists procure battery of publicists to broadcast their donations, Feeney went to great lengths to keep his gifts secret. Because of his secretive, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy.
Feeney preferred understating his profile compared to an oversized impact. He kept donating for umpteen causes such as bringing peace to Northern Ireland, modernizing Vietnam’s health care system, to turn New York’s long-neglected Roosevelt Island into a technology hub, for climate, agriculture etc. Feeney has never waited to grant gifts after death or set up a legacy fund that annually tosses pennies at a $10 problem. He hunted for causes where he could see a dramatic impact and went implementing it all. Most of us each day bounce from task to task, frantically trying to meet deadlines and chase the next milestone; we collect so many things which are rarely used, we keep investing without being sure whether we are going to consume the money. We are often left wondering if any of it really matters. We feel the ticking of the clock without being sure of the path forward.
Feeney gave big money for big problems. In 2019, while some of his staff worked on a report for Atlantic Philanthropies titled Zero is the Hero, which summarized Feeney’s decades of giving, it contains hundreds of numbers, statistics and data points which 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 when you’re dead.”
Feeney’s astonishing charities and grants have won over the most influential entrepreneurs and philanthropists. His stark generosity and gutsy investments in noble causes influenced Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to launch the ‘Giving Pledge’ in 2010 which is an aggressive campaign to convince the worlds wealthy people to give away at least half of their fortunes before their deaths. “Chuck was a cornerstone in terms of inspiration for the Giving Pledge,” says Warren Buffett. “He’s a model for us all. It’s going to take me 12 years after my death to get done what he’s doing within his lifetime.” As of August 2020, the pledge has 211 signatories from 23 countries.
On September 14, 2020, Feeney completed his four-decade mission and signed the documents to close down the Atlantic Philanthropies. The ceremony, which happened over Zoom with the Atlantic Philanthropies’ board, included video messages from Bill Gates and former California Governor, Jerry Brown. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent an official letter from the U.S. Congress thanking Feeney for his work.
At its peak, the Atlantic Philanthropies had 300-plus employees and ten global offices across seven time zones. The specific closure date was set years ago as part of his long-term plan to make venturesome, high-impact donations by setting a hard deadline to give away all his money and close shop. The 2020 ending date added firmness and discipline to his mission. It gave the Atlantic Philanthropies the time to document its history, reflect on wins and losses and create a strategy for other institutions to follow. Charles Feeney had said in one of his interviews in 2019: “Our giving is based on the opportunities, not a plan to stay in business for a long time.”
Majority of the elite and rich class of people donate money for exclusive causes rather than making world a better place. Charles Feeney has set an example of real generosity and maintaining dignity of the receivers. Dignity is one of the most important elements of the human spirit. Another thing Feeney has demonstrated is – there is no need to delay giving. In true sense giving opens doors of sanctification from God.
