20 celebrities who are also philanthropists

Sandra Bullock has to be one of the most generous people in the entertainment industry. As a longtime supporter of the American Red Cross, she has donated over $1 million to the organization, participated in charity auctions, and continuously provided aid to victims of devastating natural disasters around the world.

Sure, George Clooney is a great actor, but it’s the work he and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, accomplish with their organization, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, that really makes a difference. The couple is on a mission to protect human rights by providing ongoing support to victims of abuses of power in over 40 countries.

Rihanna is a queen in more ways than one. Over the years, she’s supported various charities and causes, including her own non-profit organization, the Clara Lional Foundation, which supports and funds several climate resilience projects and justice organizations in the U.S. and Caribbean.

Where do I even begin with Dolly Parton? This woman cares! She has given the world so much. From gifting books to children through the Dollywood Foundation to donating $1 million to COVID-19 vaccine research, she’s undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrity philanthropists out there, and we are lucky to have her.

Pharrell Williams has certainly made a lasting impact on the music industry while supporting causes such as education, sustainability, conservation, and human rights. He’s launched a tuition-free private school called Yellowhab and established non-profits like From One Hand to AnOTHER, a summer camp offering learning programs to children from low-income families, and Black Ambition, which supports black and Latinx entrepreneurs.

What can’t Meryl do? Meryl Streep is a huge advocate for human rights and gender equality. She has donated $1 million to the National Women’s History Museum, funded a female screenwriters lab for women over 40, and supported many organizations through her own foundation, the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts. She, along with many other celebrities, also generously donated to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Relief Fund last year during the actor strike.

Taylor Swift basically rules the world right now — re-releasing her most beloved albums, churning out new music left and right, and touring. On top of all of that, Taylor generously donates to various charities. One of her most recent contributions was to food banks across the U.S. during the North American leg of The Eras Tour last year.

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the biggest activists speaking out about fighting climate change. He holds board positions on various environmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, and supports and partners with many conservation projects around the world.

In addition to entertaining the masses, Beyoncé is continuously giving back through her charity foundation, BeyGOOD. The organization, whose priority is supporting marginalized and under-resourced communities, donated $2 million to entrepreneurs and students last year during her Renaissance World Tour.

In case you missed it, Barbra Streisand was honored at this year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards with the Life Achievement Award in recognition of her iconic career and humanitarian work. She advocates for the environment, civil liberties, nuclear disarmament, and women’s rights through the Streisand Foundation. She recently established the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital, specializing in identifying heart disease in women, and raised funds for medical care in Ukraine.

For many years, basketball legend Michael Jordan has given to charities and social causes. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 following the death of George Floyd, Jordan and his brand pledged $100 million over 10 years to organizations supporting racial equality, social justice, and greater access to education for the black community. As a long-time supporter and ambassador of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he donated $10 million for his 60th birthday in 2023.

In addition to his significant contribution to music, Sir Elton John is well known for his charity work. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation with a mission to end the AIDS epidemic and has since set up the Elton John Charitable Trust, supporting a variety of causes and providing a scholarship fund for students at the Royal Academy of Music and a sports fund for young athletes.

At this point, Angelina Jolie is more known for her humanitarian work than her acting, which is saying something since she’s such a phenomenal actress. She established the Jolie-Pitt Foundation to protect Cambodia’s local villages, endangered wildlife, and forests. Jolie recently launched a program supporting female beekeepers to protect native bee habitats.

It’s heartwarming to know that Matthew McConaughey is just as good of a person as he seems. He and his wife Camila started the Just Keep Livin Foundation to help students live healthy and active lifestyles. The foundation launched the Greenlights Grant Initiative in 2023 to help create safer schools by helping families access funding through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Fans of Miley Cyrus know what an advocate of social change she is. She’s supported several charities, including Make-A-Wish, and founded the Happy Hippie Foundation, whose mission is to fight injustice facing homeless and LGBTQ+ youth and those affected by crises.

As a founder of The Solutions Project, Mark Ruffalo champions environmental and climate justice. He and Gloria Walton, the organization’s President and CEO, are working to ensure disadvantaged groups receive the necessary resources to fight the climate crisis.

Harry Styles has supported numerous charities and provided incentives for his fans to do the same. Styles raised and donated more than $6.5 million during his Love on Tour to local charities around the world, like Planned Parenthood, Every Town for Gun Safety, and Save the Children. Styles also helped to register more than 54,000 voters by partnering with the non-profit organization HeadCount.

Emma Watson is a feminist through and through. As a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, she promoted the HeForShe campaign, advocating for gender equality. In addition to fighting for women’s rights, she’s one of Hollywood’s most prominent environmentalists, promoting sustainable fashion and eco-friendly beauty products.

Matt Damon has supported, partnered with, and served as a spokesman for various non-profit organizations. His most notable is Water.org, which merged his non-profit, the H2O Africa Foundation, with WaterPartners to bring clean and safe water to people around the world.

Oprah is most likely the first person to come to mind when considering celebrity philanthropists. She continuously supports numerous causes and organizations, including her own, the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, which focuses on education and serves communities struggling with food insecurity, homelessness, and inadequate healthcare.