Billionaires pledge to donate half of wealth to charity

Forty U.S. billionaires pledged Wednesday to give at least half of their wealth to charity — either during their lifetimes or after death.
That could be a big boost to nonprofits, which have suffered from the recent economic downturn.
The list of those taking the pledge includes some of the nation's wealthiest individuals: Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, T. Boone Pickens, Michael Bloomberg and George Lucas of Star Wars fame.
Buffett says the purpose of the public pledge isn't just to increase how much these people give — many had already planned to give a lot — but to inspire others to give as well.
- NPR's 40 U.S. Billionaires Pledge Half Of Wealth To Charity, Pam Fessler

During a series of private meetings held by Bill Gates and other billionaire philanthropists, forty billionaires agreed on donating at least half of their wealth to various charities. Different billionaires are interested in different non-profit organizations-public health, education, the arts, the environment, etc. Undoubtedly the donations will help the charities that suffered from the economic recession. $500 million dollars x 40 billionaires. That's a lot of money.
Of course, this brings up many concerns. Will the money go to the people who need it the most? According to NPR, many large donations are given to wealthier institutions and organizations like universities and hospitals. They tend to leave out the poor and disadvantaged.
What I'm worried about is that, although these donations are needed, what about donating what might be just as important as money: your time? This reminds me of what happened with the earthquake in Haiti. People could have easily donated money via text and pat themselves on the back, but will it have the same effect as actually getting "down at dirty with your hands" at Haiti? Haiti is different, since it's at a foreign country, but I believe volunteering your time rather than money is just as rewarding. By volunteering at the Lionsgate retirement center or the Voorhees Animal Shelter. I got to know the residents, animals, and volunteers. I played bingo, went to parties, played with the dogs, etc. I built a relationship with them, and it was rewarding. Is it the same as giving money? No, it's different, and you can't compare the two. However, I think it's a great alternative that should also be talked about. I think it would be interesting how the billionaires would react if they chose to donate their time as well. Maybe they already have.

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