The name Oprah Winfrey sparks adulation and admiration galore. Oprah Winfrey, the talk show host, media executive, actress, and billionaire philanthropist, is a household name, and for all the best reasons.
Oprah rose to prominence when he secured her own talk show ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ back in 1986. At the time, she refrained from discussing exploitative tabloid topics that seemed to be plastered across all media channels back then. She carried out open conversations, and her warm and personal style resonated with people extremely well. The show ran successfully for 25 years until 2011 and amassed her plenty of love and respect from people across all age groups.
Fast forward a few years later, she launched her own TV network, OWN. Besides being a media mogul, she also hosts Oprah’s Book Club and Oprah’s Favourite Things, both of which are platforms that discuss her favorite reads and her most preferred annual holiday gifts. She soon earned the prestigious title of being the first black woman billionaire in the world, becoming an inspiration to many.
One of the main reasons for Oprah’s rise to fame was her authenticity. She showcased a bold and confident aura, which was perfectly complemented by her giving nature. She is famously known to have been the giver of the most amazing presents to her studio audience members during several tapings of her show.
Oprah’s giving nature extends to her lifestyle that beams with several philanthropic ventures. Off-camera, Oprah has extended her riches to numerous causes, much to the gratitude of those who were truly in need.
Here are some of the most memorable ways in which Oprah gave back to society –
N Street Village
Back in 2016, Oprah donated $1 Million to N Street Village, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. This organization provides homeless and low-income women with housing, advocacy, and other services.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
Oprah founded The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls back in the year 2007. The academy is financially supported by a foundation that carries the same name. The school hosts underprivileged girls between grades eight to twelve. Oprah funds all of the girls’ living expenses and school essentials. She not only visits the campus on a weekly basis but also chats with each girl during her visits. All of the students absolutely adore Oprah and have given her the moniker ‘Mama O’ to profess their love.
Rise Against Hunger/ Feeding America
Oprah collaborated with the Kraft Heinz Company and released the O, That’s Good! line in 2017. The food line consists of four soups and four side dishes. Oprah donated ten percent of the profits she made from the line to the charity organizations Rise Against Hunger and Feeding America.
Logan Square Neighbourhood Association
The city of Chicago holds a very special place in Oprah’s heart, considering that she filmed The Oprah Winfrey Show here for 25 years. In 2011, she donated a $25,000 grant to Chicago’s Logan Square Neighbourhood Association, intended to serve over 7000 adults and children through various programs.
Save the Children
Back in 2009, Oprah welcomed Tererai Trent on her talk show, a woman whose inspirational story moved millions. She welcomed back the Zimbabwe native once again in 2011 and supported her dream of building a school in her village, by donating a generous $1.5 Million towards the efforts. The funding was sponsored by the Oprah Winfrey Foundation to Save the Children and went to good use to rebuild the Matau Primary School in Zimbabwe.
Hurricane Katrina
On the heels of the massive devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf coast, Oprah donated $10 Million of her own money towards rehabilitation efforts in the area. She set up the Oprah’s Angel Network Homes Registry to help victims acquire lost items from the storm. In just under a year, Oprah’s viewers donated over $10.5 Million in charitable gifts to the registry.
GEANCO Foundation
In 2015, Oprah donated $100,000 to the GEANCO Foundation, in honor of her co-star David Oyelowo, who supports the charity. The charitable organization offers health and education programs to women and girls in Nigeria.
Ron Clark Academy
Oprah welcomed the co-founder and owner of a private non-profit middle school, Ron Clark, on her talk show several times. While attending a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Southeast Atlanta middle school, Oprah revealed that she would be donating $5 million towards the school’s funding.
Time’s Up
Oprah Winfrey passionately believes in the empowerment of women. She is a staunch supporter of the Time’s Up movement – which was created to address inequality and discrimination towards women in the workplace. In 2018, she donated $100,000 to the cause, in the hope of creating improvement in-laws, employment agreements, as well as corporate policies that identify and hold discriminators accountable.
These are just a few of the many charitable ventures that Oprah has been a part of. Rightfully known as the queen of daytime TV, Oprah often discussed the power of giving through her talk show. In one such taping of her show in 2006, she gave each audience member a $1000 debit card and urged them to donate the amount to a charity organization of their choice.
Through these efforts, Oprah not only looked to financially help people but to also inspire them to be kind and giving. For all this and more, there is no doubt that Oprah Winfrey stands to be one of the most influential persons of all time.
