While we often hear about extravagant celebrity purchases, from cars to handbags that could pay off student loans, many stars have also decided to give back to the society that praises them.
Beyond their mere influence or social media posts, many kindhearted celebrities have put their money where their mouth is and donated impressive sums of money to those who aren’t so fortunate. Of course, their fame and influence are also huge boosts in raising awareness for the causes that matter.
One star in particular decided to flip her own birthday around, and instead of receiving gifts she decided to give huge gifts away.
On June 24, Mindy Kaling acknowledged the fact that she's an immensely successful woman in the entertainment industry—as a writer, director, producer, and absolutely hilarious actress—and she tweeted a well-deserved “Happy birthday to me - I worked hard these 40 years.” But she didn’t stop there.
Kaling wrote, “I’m so grateful to have my wonderful, peaceful life [with] my daughter Katherine. How lucky am I to turn 40? I would love to express my gratitude by donating $1000 to 40 different charitable [organizations] that help others.”
That’s right, the star decided to donate US$40,000, a thousand for every year of her life, and she kicked it off by donating to the largest immigration legal services non-profit in Texas. Since posting, she’s received tons of suggestions and has announced her donation to causes ranging from nature conservancy and clean water foundations, to hospitals and social justice initiatives.
Many other stars have made headlines with their generosity, whether it’s handing out cash on the street (can you guess which star did this?) or really getting their hands dirty to help out a cause.
Check out this gallery to see some of the most admirable and generous stars.