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28 Sep, 2018

Secretly donates €10,000 to help sick child

Conor McGregor

McGregor makes an anonymous €10,000 donation to help Irish boy, Bryan Buckley, 5, in his battle with sepsis. McGregor donated the money to Grainne McCullough for the care of her son Bryan, nicknamed Bru. Last September, Bru went into septic shock and was left on life support requiring dialysis, blood transfusions and platelets. Grainne set up a Gofundme page in the hope of raising €10,000 for her son’s care. She says:

Conor has made our dreams come true in so many ways, and I can verify it wasn’t for a publicity stunt, he privately donated to us, I just had to let him know how much we appreciate it.

 

10 Jul, 2018

McGregor given sculpture for 30th birthday

Aspencrow (Edgar Akelovic)Conor McGregor

McGregor is gifted a hyper-realistic sculpture of himself, valued at £50,000, by Lithuanian-born sculptor Aspencrow, who spent five months handcrafting the 100kg sculpture from photographs alone. The artist, who has not met McGregor in person, says he knows the fighter has accepted the gift through a mutual friend. The sculpture, entitled Atlas, will be unveiled at London’s JD Malat Gallery on 14 July, McGregor’s 30th birthday.

It is an honour Conor has accepted this as a gift from me. He is a phenomenon of our time – not just a smart athlete, but also a visionary…It’s up to you what you see in it. You can see him as a prisoner, or a God, or just as a person…I like Conor McGregor – he’s a great guy…I feel he’s my soulmate. Some of the decisions he makes might not be correct, but none of us are ideal.

25 Aug, 2017

Notorious Airways flies 32 passengers to Las Vegas

BetSafeConor McGregor

McGregor and Betsafe fly 32 of McGregor’s entourage 5634 miles, to Las Vegas from Stanstead Airport, in a specially decked-out private jet. Passengers include Eddie Hearn, Tony Bellew, Jimi Mannuwa, as well as two members of SBG gym, who were surprised by McGregor with a free trip. Passengers receive a bespoke breakfast, lunch and dinner menus; an iPad full of films; and an in-flight safety video from McGregor.

20 Aug, 2017

McGregor gives two fans surprise VIP trip to Las Vegas for Mayweather fight

Conor McGregor

McGregor surprises Lee Hammond, an up-and-coming amateur fighter, and Sergey Pikulskiy, a wrestling coach, who are both members of McGregor’s Straight Blast Gym in Dublin, with a VIP trip to Las Vegas to watch the Mayweather fight. The two of them thought they were at the gym to record ‘good luck’ messages for McGregor with his new sponsor, Betsafe, but once they had been filmed giving their support, they were shown a clip which contained a message from McGregor to them. ‘Notorious Airways’ has been created by Conor McGregor and Betsafe, as a program to fly a small selection of lucky attendees to the fight.

Congratulations to Lee Hammond and Sergey Pikulskiy of Straight Blast Gym – you get to fly on my personal private jet to Las Vegas to witness my fight on August 26th. Congratulations boys and I will see you there.

14 Jun, 2017

Frampton sends glove to London terror attack hero

Carl Frampton

Frampton sends a signed glove to Roy Larner, a 47 year old Millwall fan who took on three knife-wielding attackers during the London Bridge attack with his bare hands. As the terrorists entered the Black and Blue Steakhouse shouting their allegiances, Larner confronted them and yelled ‘Fuck You, I’m Millwall’ before fighting them. The Londoner was cut eight times, but he allowed the other 20 or so patrons time to escape unharmed. Larner, who has since been dubbed ‘The Lion of London Bridge,’ underwent surgery and was recently released from hospital

19 Mar, 2017

Frampton donates fight shorts to Gonzalez’ father

Alejandro Gonzalez Jr.Carl Frampton

Frampton sends the shorts he wore when he won against Leo Santa Cruz to the father of Gonzalez Jr, who he had beaten in his first professional fight in the US.

Got this message today. Alejandro Gonzalez dad received my fight shorts from the LSC fight. Hope it brought a smile to his face. RIP Cobrita.

[If anyone can speak Spanish, please leave a translation in the comments. Thanks!]

2 Feb, 2017

Twitter staff donate $1m against Trump immigration order

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)Donald TrumpOmid KordestaniTwitter

Nearly 1,000 Twitter employees donate more than $500,000, to the American Civil Liberties Union, to fight Trump’s temporary ban on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. The donations are matched by CEO Dorsey and Chairman Kordestani. Twitter lawyer:

Our work is far from done. In the coming months we’ll see a flurry of legal challenges, legislative pushes and public pronouncements. But as long as civil liberties are threatened, I’m proud to know that as individuals we will stand up to defend freedom and look after people.

30 Jan, 2017

Buys drinks for his travelling Jackal Army

Carl Frampton

Frampton buys drinks for his travelling fans at an Irish-themed bar in Las Vegas.

I am down in the dumps, but I am not going to not turn up because I lost the fight. The people who came out here have been amazing and I appreciate it. It is very humbling – we took over that arena last night.

18 Nov, 2016

Offers McGregor part of his UFC share

Conor McGregorMark Wahlberg

When Wahlberg, a minority shareholder in UFC, is asked about McGregor wanting a share in UFC he initially says he should pay his own way, before offering a share of his.

He’s gotta cut the check. Everyone’s gotta cut the check if they want a piece…You know what, as a matter of fact, I’ll give him a piece of mine ‘cos his is the face of UFC right now…He’s a hustler like me so there’s probably a lot of other opportunities for us to go out and make money together.

When asked if he would like to see McGregor in a film:

He’s a movie waiting to happen. Why not?

9 Sep, 2016

Bets he will beat McGregor by 2020

Conor McGregorPaddy PimblettPaddy Power

Pimblett McGregor BetPimblett is given a £2000 charity bet from Paddy Power, with 5-to-1 odds that he will defeat McGregor before 2020. If Pimblett is successful, Paddy Power will pay his chosen charity, Fight For Autism, £10,000. Pimblett:

I’m not afraid of anyone. I’ll take them on, anywhere, anytime – McGregor included!

Paddy Power:

Paddy’s not a lad who’s short on confidence and we were more than happy to give him a bet on himself when his management team reached out to us. Given his talent he’ll be circling the waters with the big fish in no time, and should he beat McGregor it’ll sting as much as his right hook but a great cause will benefit.

5 Feb, 2016

Announces Black Lives Matter donation

Black Lives MatterRoc NationTidal

Tidal in association with Roc Nation announces $1.5 billion in funds from a previous charity concert will be donated to Black Lives Matter. Roc Nation says the team will support a different initiative each year.

The process of acquiring recommendations [for nonprofits] was collaborative and inspired by the message that speaks to racial and social inequities and injustice in our society.

17 Jan, 2016

Donates water to Flint residents

CherFlint Water CrisisIcelandic GlacialMan-made Disaster

Cher donates over 180,000 bottles of water to Flint residents in response to the water crisis. Shipments will start on 18 Jan. The water will be distributed through the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and was provided through Icelandic Glacial, where the singer had contacts who agreed to double Cher’s donation. Cher:

This is a tragedy of staggering proportion and it’s shocking that it’s happening in the middle of our country.

4 Oct, 2015

GoFundme page raises $700K

Chris MintzGoFundMe

mintz1A GoFundme page for Mintz (link) raises over $700,000, far in excess of its $10,000 goal. The page was setup by Mintz cousin who says:

Yesterday my cousin Chris Mintz was shot 7 times while trying to protect others from the gunman at Umpqua Community College. He is a father, a veteran, a student, and now he’s a hero. During the shooting both of his legs were broken and he is going to have to go through a ton of physical therapy. While Chris is not the type of person to ask for it, he is going to need all of the help he can get while he recovers! Myself and many family members have been swamped with requests for us to setup a gofundme page, so this is us fulfilling that request and we appreciate your concerns and assistance. Thank You, Family of Chris Mintz

25 Jul, 2015

Super PAC receives $15 million

Dan WilksFarris WilksTed Cruz

The Wilks brothers donate $15 million to the pro-Cruz super PAC, Keep the Promise. Farris Wilks:

Our country was founded on the idea that our rights come from the Creator, not the government. I’m afraid we’re losing that. Unless we elect a principled conservative leader ready to stand up for our values, we’ll look back on what once was the land of opportunity and pass on a less prosperous nation to our children and grandchildren. That’s why we need Ted Cruz.

24 Jul, 2015

Sends message to cancer girl

Kristen Bell

Bell reaches out as her character Princess Anna from Frozen, to Avery Huffman, a young girl battling a severe form of cancer:

My sister Elsa has decided to crown you as an honorary princess of Arundel!

Avery’s father:

You can’t even describe the emotion that my wife and I felt when we see Avery’s face. And I’ve watched the video probably 60, 70 times just to see the giggle, the smile, the shock and excitement on her face, not only that princess Anna is calling her, but crowing her an honorary princess,

Avery hears from Anna...

23 Jul, 2015

$30 million Museum of Flight donation

BoeingMuseum of Flight

Boeing and Bill Boeing’s family donate $30 million to the Museum of Flight to create the “Boeing Academy for STEM Learning” at the museum, which will promote science, technology, engineering, and math education programs. An estimated 45,000 future jobs in Washington will require STEM credentials, and Boeing believes that this program will help to fill those positions. The goal of the new funding is to have 5,000 students participating by 2019. Half of those will be young women, students of color or economically disadvantaged youth. Boeing:

This is an opportunity to invest in our children and in our region’s future economic health and growth.

20 Jul, 2015

Announces $100 million for alien life search

Stephen HawkingYuri Milner

Hawking and Milner announce they are putting $100 million into Breakthrough Listen, a project to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life. Hawking:

We believe that life arose spontaneously on Earth. So in an infinite universe, there must be other occurrences of life.

Milner, who is funding the project, says scientists will be able to collect as much data on SETI in a day as they now do in a year, and all data will be made public. The project will also work on improving the best way to send a message out into space. Milner:

I’ve been thinking about this since I was a child, reading Carl Sagan’s book Intelligent Life in the Universe, The year that I was born, 1961, that was a big year in science — the first man was launched into space [Yuri Gagarin], and I was named for him. And Kennedy made his famous speech about putting man on the moon…I don’t have high expectations, but the search itself will teach us quite a bit. We could find something we’re not even looking for…Irrespective of what the answer is, it’s a powerful answer. At any given time, we should apply the best technology and use the best instruments available to search for that answer.

16 Jul, 2015

Invites terminally ill girl to concert

Ed Sheeran

Sheeran heart girlSheeran invites terminally ill woman Channan Petrides and her friend backstage at Wembley Arena in London to fulfill her dream of seeing Sheeran perform.

He was so lovely and genuine, he had a great sense of humour and was really easy to get on with. He signed my programme and we took some selfies together. He smelt amazing. A few months ago, I was so unwell I was worried if I’d ever make it to Ed Sheeran’s gig, but I did and it was incredible and I also got to meet him backstage. My life is now complete.

14 Jul, 2015

$15 million environmental donation

Amazon WatchLeonardo DiCaprioSave the ElephantsTree PeopleWorld Wildlife Fund

The actor’s foundation awards $15 million in grants to a host of environmental organizations, including Amazon Watch, Save the Elephants, Tree People and the World Wildlife Fund. DiCaprio:

The destruction of our planet continues at a pace we can no longer afford to ignore. We have a responsibility to innovate a future where the habitability of our planet does not come at the expense of those who inhabit it.

10 Jul, 2015

$3.4 Billion pledged for Ebola

EbolaEbola Scare in LiberiaEllen Johnson SirleafGuineaLiberiaSierra Leone

International donors pledge $3.4 billion for a total of $5.2 billion to help rebuild Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone following the Ebola epidemic. The U.N. will follow up to ensure the delivery of the money. New pledges include $745 million from the African Development Bank, $495 million from the European Union, $360 million from the Islamic Development Bank, $340 million from Britain, and $266 million from the United States. Liberian President Sirleaf says funds will revive the economies and societies of affected areas.

The world as a whole has a great stake in how we together respond to this global thread. Virus diseases, just like terrorism, know no national boundaries.

8 Jul, 2015

Donates $50k to leukemia patient

GoFundMeTaylor Swift

Swift donates $50,000 to the GoFundMe page of Naomi Oakes, a leukemia patient, in response to the eleven year old adopting Swift’s Bad Blood as her theme song for her hospitalization video.

To the beautiful and brave Naomi, I’m sorry you have to miss it, but there will always be more concerts. Let’s focus on getting you feeling better. I’m sending the biggest hugs to you and your family.

4 Jul, 2015

Family sets up GoFundMe page

Challenged Athletes FoundationGoFundMeKate Steinle

The Steinle family sets up a gofundme page (link) to support causes important to Steinle, including Challenged Athletes Foundation each year, which she worked for each year, and PAWS: the Performing Animal Welfare Society. CAF President:

What always impressed me about Katie was how genuinely she engaged herself with challenged athletes, how genuinely interested she was in their life, their tragedy, and guided them on how best to deal with that

1 Jul, 2015

Raises $45 million

Hillary Clinton

Clinton sets a fundraising record by raising $45 million in the opening quarter of her campaign. The previous fundraising record was set by President Obama, who raised $42 million in the first quarter of 2011. According to the campaign, 91 percent of the donations it received were $100 or less.

30 Jun, 2015

Daytona race flag exchange

Confederate FlagJoie Chitwood IIINASCAR

NASCAR is exchanging fan’s Confederate flags with American flags at the Daytona race this weekend. Daytona President Chitwood announces the race will not ban Confederate flags since fans had already purchased tickets for races, but anyone wishing to part ways with their Confederate flag will be offered an American replacement.

For us, we’re celebrating the American flag this weekend. It’s our nation’s birthday. So, fans who would like to fly the American flag, we’ll trade with you on whatever flag you have. We want you to celebrate that flag this weekend.

29 Jun, 2015

Free marijuana giveaway

NORMLRecreational marijuana

To get around Oregon’s marijuana law’s timing — from July 1st possession for recreational use will be legal, but it cannot be sold until fall of 2016 — the state’s marijuana growers will give away as much as 7 grams plus cannabis seeds to over 21s with ID, at an event on June 30. NORML:

While it becomes legal to possess and cultivate cannabis, there is no legal place in Oregon to buy marijuana itself or cannabis seeds and starts. Portland NORML will educate the public and our partners will give away thousands of seeds and hundreds of pounds of marijuana this year so Washington State and the black market do not benefit from our new marijuana legality.

Event organizers:

This is more than free weed. This is more than vendors, food and vapes. This is history in the making!

 

 

 

17 Jun, 2015

Donates $5m for undocumented immigrant scolarships

Mark ZuckerbergPriscilla Chan

Zuckerberg and Chan donate $5 million to the “I’m In” campaign launched by TheDream.us, a national college scholarship fund for undocumented immigrants. The fund targets students who came to the U.S. as children and received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival status, an immigration policy started by President Obama that gives them exemption from deportation and allows them to work. The funds will go to 400 students over the next five years. Zuckerberg:

America was founded as a nation of immigrants. We ought to welcome smart and hardworking young people from every nation, and to help everyone in our society achieve their full potential.

 

18 May, 2015

UD adds Professor of Marijuana Law

Brian VicenteMedical MarijuanaRecreational marijuanaUniversity of Denver

The University of Denver announces it has received a $45,000 commitment from a Denver law firm to enable one faculty member to serve as the Vicente Sederberg Professor of Marijuana Law and Policy. This law professor will devote his time and resources toward the development of marijuana law and policy. Vicente, who is funding this position for three years with an option to renew, attended DU’s law school on a full merit scholarship and was encouraged by his professors to pursue drug policy reform.

I want to give back to the university who supported me

1 May, 2015

GoFundme page removed

Alicia D. WhiteBrian W. RiceCaesar R. Goodson Jr.Edward M. NeroFraternal Order of PoliceFreddie GrayGarrett E. MillerGoFundMeWilliam G. Porter

A funding page for the six officers set up by The Fraternal Order of Police, a union representing Baltimore City police officers, is removed by the site. The page set a fundraising goal of $600,000 to pay for the living expenses of the six officers, who have been placed on unpaid suspension after they were charged in Gray’s death. In 41 minutes, the page raised $1,135. The FOP posts on its Facebook page:

Apparently our GoFundMe account has been suspended with no explanation. We are working to find a new site for donations. Thank you!

$29/week food challenge

Mario Batali

Batali challenges Gwyneth Paltrow, Sting and Blondie to take the Food Bank NYC Challenge. The challenge urges participants to use only $29 for all the food a person eats for seven days.

For one week, walk in someone else’s shoes. By truly understanding what our friends and neighbors are going through, we will be better equipped to find solutions.

2 Apr, 2015

Go-Fund Me account raises over $40,000

GoFundMeIndiana Religious Freedom Restoration actMemories Pizza

A GoFundMe page called “Support Memories Pizza” set up to raise $35,000 for the restaurant gets $40,000 from more than 1,000 donors in five hours. The Gofundme page donations are now over $300,000.

After being interviewed by Dana Loesch on her television show on Blaze TV, we learned that the family may never even reopen the doors to their restaurant as the death threats and vicious online reviews continue to pour in from the arbiters of “tolerance.” My name is Lawrence Jones, and I’m one of the television opinion contributors on Dana’s show. Before the televised interview the producers discussed the situation…We all agreed: this family needs help to get through this assault. So we set up a GoFundMe page with the modest goal of $25,000. The intent was to help the family stave off the burdensome cost of having the media parked out front, activists tearing them down, and no customers coming in.

28 Mar, 2015

Offers financial assistance

2015 Germanwings CrashGermanwingsLufthansa

Lufthansa offers to pay the families of the victims up to 55,000 euros per passenger on the crashed Germanwings plane. The families are not required to pay back this financial assistance. Additional compensation from Lufthansa is expected to follow since the fact that Lubitz had been hiding a serious mental illness from management did not activate the exclusion clause in Lufthansa’s insurance policy.

26 Mar, 2015

Will give away fortune

FortuneTim CookInterview

Cook tells Fortune that he will give away all his wealth after he provides for the college education of his nephew. Cook’s net worth is about $120 million. He also holds $665 million in restricted stocks. Cook says he has already begun making donations, but rather than simply writing checks, he wants to develop a systematic approach to philanthropy.

17 Feb, 2015

$300 million donation

Princeton UniversityWilliam H. Scheide

Princeton University receives a donation of rare books and manuscripts worth $300 million from alumnus Scheide. The collection includes the first six printed editions of the Bible, the original printing of the Declaration of Independence, and an autographed speech by Abraham Lincoln. It is the largest donation in Princeton’s history.
Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber:

Through Bill Scheide’s generosity, one of the greatest collections of rare books and manuscripts in the world today will have a permanent home here. It will stand as a defining collection for Firestone Library and Princeton University. I cannot imagine a more marvelous collection to serve as the heart of our library. We are grateful for Bill Scheide’s everlasting dedication to Princeton and his commitment to sharing his breathtaking collection with scholars and students for generations to come.

7 Feb, 2015

Donates $75 million

Ed LeeMark ZuckerbergPriscilla Chan

Zuckerberg and Chan donate $75 million to San Francisco General Hospital. The donation is to help fund equipment and technology. San Francisco Mayor Lee:

It’s incredibly gracious they have recognized the importance of this hospital to the entire city. They have made sure, in the future, there will be enough money to maintain and modernize it. They want a public hospital as important as this to be at world-class standards every year.

2 Feb, 2015

Livestrong Challenge

Lance Armstrong

Armstrong registers to ride in the Livestrong Challenge in Austin, and sets up a fundraising team, Lance & Friends, for the event. Livestrong:

We welcome all contributions to the Livestrong Foundation as we continue our work to improve the lives of people affected by cancer now. This includes the recent contribution by Lance Armstrong. He has signed up to ride in our annual event with his own team as the ride is open to participants nationwide.

8 Oct, 2014

Founder announces 2M donation

ChobaniHamdi UlukayaISIS

Turkish born CBillionaire And Chobani Inc. Chief Executive Officer Hamdi Ulukaya InterviewEO Hamdi Ulukaya pledges $2 million to aid refugees in Kobani, a town bordering Syria and Turkey that is under siege from ISIS.

Either we will be watching the massacre there and will live on with a guilty conscience or we will save people.

2014

Adopts school

Sandra Bullock

The 49 year old actress adopts Warren Easton Charter High in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Bullock’s donations have helped rebuild the historic campus, fund scholarships for graduates, pay for athletic equipment and band uniforms and open a health clinic.Bullock expresses about the students:

These kids have been working a couple of jobs, some come from hard places, but every time they walk under that roof, they know they’re cared for,’ she said of the pupils. ‘They’re admired for what they can bring to the table

Sandra Bullock - Warren Easton Charter High School PCA 2013

15 Sep, 2014

Donates £25,000 after arson

Simon Cowell

Cowell pledges £25,000 (around $40,700). to the the Manchester Dogs’ Home after a suspected arson kills up to 60 dogs.

I have got my dogs here and I love my dogs. The fact is they are in a rescue home which is bad enough, and then fior something like that to happen, is disgusting. I can’t even think about it, so many dogs died.

10 Sep, 2014

‘Semi-naked man in burka’

Ice Bucket Challenge

Video shows a ‘semi-naked man wearing a burka’ performing the ice bucket challenge outside the Zakariyya Mosque in Peace Street, Daubhill, in Bolton, Greater Manchester. The man, wearing only his underwear, socks, shoes and a makeshift headscarf, makes several offensive remarks about Islam. Another man with him can be heard telling him to hurry up, to which the man responds that he is not scared. The video has been removed from Youtube and Facebook, and police are investigating.

Pledges Ebola funds

Bill GatesEbola

The Bill and Melinda Foundation pledged $50 million to help fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The money will be used to help the government purchase supplies, “scale up emergency operations,” and enable international aid.

We are working urgently with our partners to identify the most effective ways to help them save lives now and stop transmission of this deadly disease. We also want to accelerate the development of treatments, vaccines and diagnostics that can help end this epidemic and prevent future outbreaks.

4 Sep, 2014

Ice Bucket Challenge: 50 Cent

50 CentFloyd Mayweather Jr.Ice Bucket Challenge

50 Cent accepts the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but put a spin on it. Standing next to a bucket of ice that he never actually comes into contact with, 50 Cent delivered his own challenge to Mayweather:

If you can read one page out of a Harry Potter book… I’ll donate $750,000 to whatever charitable organization you want to….

Mayweather suggests the rapper donate that money to the family of Mike Brown, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo.