The Philosophy of Charity:

Give that Others May Live

Philanthropy has very deep roots in American history. In fact at the beginning of the industrial era, over a hundred years ago, the leaders of the oil, automobile, and steel industries revolutionized giving by bestowing large amounts of money to medicine, academia as well as basic research. Today philanthropy has taken on a new level altogether. The new faces of philanthropy are demonstrating in concrete terms that there is an obligation that goes with the creation of wealth. Bill Gates, to name the most prominent example, the richest man in the world, is becoming the greatest philanthropist of all time. Our feature story, “A New Generation of Thoughtful Givers” on page 66, delves deeper into the philosophy shared by the vanguards of this growing number of super wealthy givers.

We may not all be able to give on the scale of Bill Gates, but as Americans we love to create fun ways to part with our money and give to a good cause—fundraising galas, events, auctions—you name it. For this issue we covered two exclusive events, one on each coast—New York City and Los Angeles—both sponsoring worthy, commendable causes. The coverage is reported on page 94.

If you plan on hosting your own charity event, look no further than Jane Carroll’s column, “Having Fun Raising Funds” on page 30, for fabulous entertainment tips on hosting such an affair. New to the act of philanthropy, but want to get started? I would recommend that you read Madelyn Ringgold’s article, ”Philanthropy: The Ultimate Life Achievement Award” on page 26, on how to start, what to do, and what to look for before you give any money away to any organization.

It’s that special season for romance. Remember to do something special for your significant other on Valentine’s Day. If you, like many others out there, are afraid of not getting it right, turn to Sandra Payne, our Mannerly Manor columnist, on page 91 for the best advice.

Have you tried hiring domestic help recently? You may have found yourself face-to-face with a complex variety of issues that can be overwhelming. Hiring household staff is not simple—who to hire, their roles and duties, and how much to pay them are some of the many challenging issues that need to be dealt with. Our feature, “The Well-Run Mansion” on page 77, will shed some light on some of these complex questions.

This reminds me, my housekeeper is on vacation and I can’t wait for her to get back—I can’t face another day of dirty dishes and laundry. I’ve always appreciated her but I most certainly cherish her now!

Beth Torre

Editor-in-Chief