If you’ve been a longtime fan of Oprah Winfrey, then you’ve probably grown to associate her with Chicago in your mind. Not surprising since she and her iconic show were both based in the windy city for a time.
The media mogul has been all over the United States before and after her stint in Chicago though calling a variety of cities and localities home.
Now, she’s found a good way to give back to the places that nurtured her throughout the years.
Five Localities
Through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, the 66-year-old host has donated a total of $12 million to five communities affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Her list included the four major cities of Baltimore, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Nashville. And of course, she didn’t forget to help the small city of Kosciusko in Mississippi, where she was born.
Winfrey’s donation will be shared by organizations like NashvilleNurtures and Live Healthy Chicago. The Nashville-based group reportedly plans to spend the host’s donation to feed 10,000 families.
Meanwhile, Live Healthy Chicago is gearing to use the $5 million they received to continue supporting high-risk demographics living in the city.
Giving Philosophy
Winfrey has also been vocal about how she thinks that people with financial means should help out those struggling amidst the pandemic as much as they can.
She further emphasized how this generosity should continue on even when the virus is gone as the negative effects it has will surely be felt by people long after.
The billionaire then urged others to start looking in their own neighborhood and finding ways to serve their community. This, she says, is the essential work that well-off people should focus on.
Winfrey has an estimated net worth of somewhere around $2.6 billion to $3 billion.
Longtime Endeavors
The media mogul is certainly following her own giving philosophy and has been for years now.
For example, she’s left a vast philanthropic legacy in Chicago. Former mayor Richard M. Daley has said that Winfrey has quietly helped the city in numerous ways throughout the years.
She’s given small and large monetary donations to institutions like the Aids Foundation of Chicago, the LaRabida Children’s Hospital, and a local cafe that helps the homeless. Many schools also have stories chronicling Winfrey’s generosity.