Oprah Winfrey
Giving credit where it’s due
The best thing about Oprah, aside from the fact she regularly showers her studio audience with gifts ranging from gadgets to cars, is she’s not just involved in making a difference in the lives of viewers and strangers, she shines the spotlight on people who otherwise might not be acknowledged for the hard work they do - along with the all-important hosting of high-profile celebs, including some notable greenies like Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts.
Recently, O upped the ante and handed out $1000 and a DVD Handycam to each of the hundreds of spectators in the audience, with the stipulation they give the money to someone who is not in their family and document it for a future show, saying, “Every gift I’ve ever given has brought at least as much happiness to me as it has to the person I’ve given it to … That’s the feeling I want to pass on to you.” What better way to donate money and get others involved, too. Hopefully that feeling will rub off on a few of them.
She’s spoken about topics ranging from global warming and Sudan to personal tragedy and redemption. She’s honored holocaust survivors, told survival stories, aided tsunami victims and shown gratitude to the ones who help make her efforts successful by treating employees to an exotic vacation.
What started as a campaign to raise money for Habitat for Humanity homes and scholarships in 1997 became Oprah’s Angel Network charity. Since then, over $50 million has been donated to various projects and organizations, including about $10 million in response to Hurricane Katrina. Donations have built schools and provided supplies, going to projects focused on education, women and children. Oprah ensures money donated goes entirely to the cause, paying management, general and fundraising expenses out of her own pocket (talk about putting your money where your mouth is). Then there’s the Leadership Academy she founded in South Africa, complete with all the necessities and more.
Oprah’s website has a lot of room for humanitarian issues, with a section devoted to the crisis in Darfur that includes facts, statistics and images. A section titled “Take Action” allows visitors to write a letter to the president, call and leave a message at the White House, donate to organizations such as the World Food Program and International Rescue Committee, and receive a Darfur newsletter with updates on the crisis. “10 Things You Can Do” lists activities and campaigns individuals can take on to help raise awareness.
She finds her own unique way to bring attention to the issues, raising money and awareness. She’s not afraid to put her celebrity to good use and uses the popularity of her show to highlight important issues - making Oprah the ultimate entertainer / philanthropist.
