Philanthropy has actually long been a central part of a reasonable and flourishing culture, but the manner in which it works has altered throughout the years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually held true for many thousands of years, with the very first recorded example of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over 2 thousand years ago in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word meant something more similar to 'caring of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one may apply to the term today, however nevertheless rich individuals played an essential charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, helping to set up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples in addition to funding festivals and other public events. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the community completely.
Many different entities have actually been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not always entirely true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable hubs, both within the town and on bigger level projects. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when rich people became more powerful, and then shifted once again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations started to spring up that were better set up and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, rich individuals, or companies like SJP.
The manner in which charity has actually been funded has changed a good deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually changed as different needs have emerged. These days, there are a great many problems that need to be resolved, from widening inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that process. Wealthy individuals with checking account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the firms that are the main centers of monetary generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.