Tag: charity

Paul Ramsay’s billions left to charity

Healthcare and media entrepreneur Paul Ramsay died on Thursday night after a short illness, leaving a philanthropic bequest of more than $3 billion – one of the largest in Australian history – to his personal foundation that could distribute as much as $50 million a year.
The late chairman and founder of private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care is believed to have suffered a heart attack just over a week ago while on his private yacht Oscar 11. He was travelling in Europe with a close circle of friends including deputy chairman Michael Siddle. After being admitted to a hospital on the Spanish island of Ibiza, Mr Ramsay was flown to his home in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, where he died.
There had been speculation about the future of his $3.3 billion stake in Ramsay, with some confidantes suggesting funds could have gone to the Catholic Church or his alma mater, Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview, the North Shore Jesuit school attended by Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
However, the details of the 78-year-old’s wishes, which related to his 36.2 per cent stake in Ramsay, were announced by the company on Friday.
Advertisement

The Paul Ramsay Foundation “will receive the benefit of the vast majority of his controlling shareholding in Ramsay Health Care Limited, which will largely be retained on trust for the Foundation,” the company said.
The “bulk” of Mr Ramsay’s wider estate, most recently estimated by Forbes to be worth $3.4 billion, will be transferred to the foundation also.
Mr Ramsay, who was the 11th-richest Australian, never married and had no children. He is survived by two siblings, Peter and twin sister Ann.
Philanthropy Australia chief executive Louise Walsh described the bequest as the biggest single charitable donation in Australian history. “Paul Ramsay’s decision is an incredible act of generosity,” she said.
Ms Walsh said she hoped it would “inspire other local entrepreneurs to follow his example”.
The bequest will certainly make the foundation one of the most wealthy and sustainable philanthropic bodies in the country. If the complete Ramsay shareholding is maintained by the foundation it would provide a lucrative income stream worth tens of millions annually. Mr Ramsay held about 73 million shares in the company. In 2012-13 his dividend payment, on a distribution of 70.5¢ per share, would have been $51.2 million.
However a spokeswoman for the company declined to provide further details on what causes it would support. Mr Ramsay lived a very private life and the previous activities of his charitable foundation were not widely publicised.
In December 2011, Mr Ramsay donated $300,000 to the actor Kevin Spacey to support his foundation’s work in supporting arts education.
Mr Ramsay’s foundation is listed as a ”major donor” in the 2008 annual report of Parent Infant Family Australia, which supports vulnerable families and is run by the official welfare agency of the Catholic Church, CatholicCare. The foundation has donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Mr Ramsay was also a prominent donor to the Liberal Party.
Mr Ramsay’s former school, St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, said on Friday in a statement that he had been a generous benefactor and had previously arranged for him to come and address the school at an assembly later in 2014 this year but ‘’sadly, this is not to be’’.
Earlier this year, Mr Ramsay celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the $9 billion hospital operator that he built from a 16-bed psychiatric facility on Sydney’s North Shore. He entered the media sector in 1983, buying a stake in Prime Media and leading its expansion into regional areas like Tamworth and Orange. Mr Ramsay sold his $96 million, 30 per cent stake in Prime Media in February.
Seven executive chairman Kerry Stokes said Mr Ramsay had guided the development of Prime as a partner with the metro broadcaster for nearly 30 years. “During that period, he conducted his business with us as he lived his life. There was never a cross word or a raised voice. That’s a miracle in our business,” Mr Stokes said.
The Ramsay foundation is controlled by Mr Siddle, as well as Peter Evans and Tony Clark. The trio have had a long-term association with Mr Ramsay and are also directors of the company.
Although the announcement leaves room for some shares to be sold, the implications of this are not expected to be very significant. The company’s share price has gained about 39 per cent in the past year, making it the second best performer among healthcare stocks in the S&P/ASX200 index.

Saudi Princess Uses Philanthropy to Bridge Cultural Divides

Saudi Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel says she wants to use philanthropy to bridge cultural divides and prevent violence like the recent attacks on U.S. embassies sparked by an anti-Islam video.

In New York last month for former President Bill Clinton’s annual philanthropy summit, the princess spoke about her ambitions for the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundations, where she serves as secretary general. The philanthropies are financed by her husband, Prince Alwaleed, a multibillionaire and nephew of the Saudi king. They give away at least $70-million a year in 70 countries, she said.

With $2-million in initial financing, she is starting a project called Opt4Unity, which she describes as an “uncommon table” of nonprofit leaders, business executives, and philanthropists who can tackle big problems like youth unemployment in the Middle East, agricultural development in Africa, and religious and cultural divisions.

She says she hopes to introduce courses at 20 universities aimed at bridging cultural divides; start the first “Food University” designed to improve agricultural production; and encourage young people to take to social media for the promotion of tolerance, not violence.

Sitting on a couch in the busy lobby of the Plaza Hotel, Princess Ameerah, 28, cited the example of a young Saudi man studying in the United States who, after the embassy attacks, uploaded a video designed to educate Westerners about the Prophet Muhammad.

“He’s a bridge builder whether he knows it or not,” she said. “If you want to change people’s ignorance about Prophet Muhammad, then teach about it. We want to have 10,000 young people uploading videos of them and how they can bridge build.”

Women’s Rights

Princess Ameerah has become an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, a bold step given that Saudi Arabia is one of the most restrictive countries in the world for women.

Her family’s philanthropies supports entrepreneurship programs for Saudi women. After the government began to enforce a law permitting women to work in lingerie shops—over opposition from conservative clerics—the philanthropies created a course to train women in retail work.

Princess Ameerah is also backing efforts to strengthen the role of women in politics. She says she is bringing together 200 women professionals for a dinner in November to organize their voices and encourage them to speak out collectively in the media and in public.

She disputes the idea that change can only happen from the top down. “The change comes bottom up, and this is what we’ve seen in the Arab revolutions,” she says. “Saudi women have been quiet for a long, long time, and it’s about time we spoke up.”

A Dearth of Charities

Princess Ameerah says that Saudi Arabia is hindered by its small number of nonprofits—roughly 600, she says, compared with 3,000 in Bahrain.

She’d like to see more young Saudis choose jobs with nonprofits, she says, but they often view those positions as unattractive and poorly paid. “We need to think about how we can make working in [nonprofits] appealing,” she said.

The Arab Spring, she says, has had the short-term effect of constraining the work of nonprofits across the Middle East. But she hopes that when the political situations stabilize, nonprofits and philanthropies will be able to step up their work.

“People want to do good, and that will continue whether you have a dictator or a democratic government,” she says.

A Charity Dinner for Autism Families

There are several charitable institutions in Riyadh that cater to different causes and thanks to them, many illnesses such as Cancer, Down Syndrome and other physical disabilities are given the awareness and support that they deserve. The Charitable Society of Autism Families – Saudi Arabia is one of the institutions that was recently brought to my attention, thanks to the Charity Event hosted by Riyadh Marriott Hotel last Monday.

The senior management team of Marriott coordinated with the society founded by Princess Sameera Bint Abdullah Al Faisel Al Farhan AlSaoud in order to help support the children and families facing issues with autism. One of Princess Sameera’s children had autism and this inspired her to create the society to help other families cope with the challenges they face. In Saudi Arabia, 6 out of 1000 children have autism and with a population of more than 2o million Saudis, there’s a significant number of families who deal with this situation on a daily basis and they need more information and more support.

I arrived at the hotel and found several Saudi families meeting with the staff who expressed great care and assistance to the children with autism. A special dinner was prepared in their honor and allowed the families to interact with one another, sharing their challenges and hopes for their children. Mr. Abdul Mohsin, one of the representatives of the society also went around and greeted the guests from the media and was generous in answering any questions we had. It turns out, the progress of getting autism the attention and support that it deserves in Saudi Arabia has been steadily increasing trough the years but the Society feels that there is still more that can be done.

Mr. Muin Serhan, the General Manager of Riyadh Marriott Hotel said, “The organizing of this charity event displays our concern and love for children all over the world, and our care for them is a reflection of the core values that promotes love and trust.”

It was humbling to see all the children and their families that night and I can only hope that they will all be able to overcome the obstacles that they face everyday. Thanks to Riyadh Marriott Hotel for hosting such an event especially on the last few days of the holy month of Ramadan.

To know more about the Charitable Society of Autism Families, visit: http://charitablesocietyforautismfamilies.org

Beirut charity is lifeline for injured refugee children

Refugee children badly hurt in accidents occurring outside of war zones are being overlooked by charities whose funding criteria only allows them to offer free medical treatment to those wounded directly by war, a Beirut-based nonprofit has warned.

Children with complex and costly injuries are being excluded because they do not fit the funding criteria of mainstream NGOs, said Arwa Damon, founder of International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA), which launched in August.

“There are a number of reasons why these gaps [in medical care] exist. Either because the parents don’t know how to navigate the system, or the NGO they are in touch with doesn’t provide certain services,” said Damon. “A lot of organisations won’t take on the cases because they don’t have the capacity or the mandate.”

There are more than 1 million Syrians in Lebanon registered by the UN’s refugee agency. A July report found only between 24 and 36 per cent of Syrian refugees thought medical care in Lebanon was affordable, and offered access to specialists and health information.

INARA seeks to offer free treatment to refugee children with overlooked injuries, often caused by the fallout of conflict, such as burns from exploding gas canisters in refugee tents. The nonprofit began taking on cases a year ago, before its launch in August.

The charity employs two full-time caseworkers to assess the needs of each child. This can range from connecting parents to existing health charities, to liaising with doctors to provide pro bono surgery, and funding the cost of transport and post-surgery care such as physiotherapy. The doctors give their time for free, while the American University of Beirut Medical Center provides the facilities at a discount.

To date, 28 cases have been referred to INARA, of which the nonprofit has taken on 15. Each caseworker handles around eight cases at a time, liaising with the doctors and hospitals and providing reassurance and support for traumatised children and parents, said Damon. Almost all the cases involve Syrian refugees; the majority suffering with burn injuries.

The treatment is funded by donations, and the cost can range from $200 to $20,000 per case, depending on the injury and aftercare needed. The average case is $3,800, according to the organisation. INARA estimates it will spend about $450,000 a year on medical treatment and care costs.

“There are severe gaps [in care] when it comes to burn cases,” said Damon, who is also a correspondent for CNN. “Many organisations won’t take cases that need reconstructive surgery, but it is vital to a child being able to live a semi-normal life.”

In one such case, a 12-year-old girl was left with such acute burns on her lower body she hadn’t gone to the bathroom on her own for three years. She had been standing next to a gas stove when a bomb hit her house in Syria and, a year later, boiling water was accidentally spilled on her in a refugee camp in Lebanon, making the injury worse. She stopped going to school. Her case was referred to INARA who funded the operations she needed.

“We’re never going to completely get rid of [the injury], but at the very least she can go to the bathroom on her own,” said Damon. “She has that dignity back.”

In another case, INARA funded eye surgery for 1-year-old Elena, born with severe cataracts because her mother had been malnourished during pregnancy, when their city fell under siege. If left untreated, the girl would have gone blind.

The charity hopes to grow to four full-time caseworkers, allowing INARA to aid 120 patients a year, and expand its work to Jordan and Turkey. Damon currently funds all the charity’s running costs herself, but is seeking donors to help support INARA’s annual $125,000 budget.

“You’re giving the children back dignity and the ability to function,” said Damon. “You’re never going to completely erase [the injuries], but it is our responsibility to come as close to it as possible.”

New York Denies Charity Care To Its Neediest

Two years ago Missouri passed the Volunteer Health Services Act, a law which allows licensed out-of-state medical providers to deliver charitable care to Missourians without undue regulatory burdens. With the VHSA’s passage, Missouri joined only a handful of states, including neighboring Tennessee and Illinois, who have passed similar health care reforms. Make no mistake: support for charity clinics like RAM’s is bipartisan.

Yet the relative rarity of common sense reforms like the VHSA was hammered home late last year, when one of the largest providers of interstate charity care — Remote Area Medical — was blocked from serving thousands of patients in New York.

New York state health officials have stopped a nonprofit group from providing free medical care to thousands of patients lacking health insurance during a four-day dental conference that starts Friday.

The nonprofit, Remote Area Medical, had [brought millions of dollars worth of mobile units and supplies] and enlisted hundreds of volunteer doctors and other medical workers to offer a range of health services, including dental care, new eyeglasses and other services. The group had planned to treat about 7,000 patients at the New York [State] event.

In September, the New York State Department of Health told the volunteer group, founded in 1985, that it could not treat patients at the conference unless it partnered with an established, state-licensed medical organization.

I have a hard time believing that the bureaucrats at New York’s Department of Health actually believe the 7,000 patients who would have received care from RAM are better off without that treatment. More to the point, there is something deeply troubling and inherently immoral about a state health care regime that actively denies its citizens charitable care from licensed health care providers. New York should follow the lead of about a dozen other states and remove the state’s apparent “local partnership” requirement for providing charitable care inside its borders.

A shameful spectacle like this should never happen again in the Empire State — or for that matter, anywhere in the United States.

Baseball Great Brooks Robinson Sells Multi-Million Dollar Norman Rockwell For Charity

Imagine owning Picasso’s paint brush, Yo Yo Ma’s cello, or Harry Potter’s wand. Here’s your chance to acquire the baseball world’s equivalent— a Brooks Robinsongame-used glove or one of his 16 Gold Glove awards for best defense at 3d base, a record for a position player — in a Heritage auction that is running November 5th through the 7th. His dazzling defense earned him immortality as “Mr. Impossible” and the “Human Vacuum Cleaner.” On top of that, he is not just a kind gentleman for a baseball player; he is a kind gentleman for a human being.

So it seems like vintage Brooks, 78, that he decided to auction off his entire collection of baseball memorabilia, except his Hall of Fame induction ring, and to donate 100 percent of the proceeds to launch the Constance & Brooks Robinson Charitable Foundation run by his four children. “I don’t think that there is any question that Brook’s reputation as one of the nicest guys to play the game is going to help the value,” says Chris Ivy, the director of Heritage Auction’s sports division, who visited Robinson’s home outside Baltimore to survey the collection. “The most refreshing thing that I can say after working with Brooks and his family that his reputation is whole-heartedly deserved.”

gold-glove-resized

A few years ago during an in-person interview he told me with his trademark modesty that “Bench hit the ball so hard that it curved back towards me,” Robinson told me, with his trademark modesty, a few years ago during an in-person interview. “It was just a reflex.”

At the time I was in the midst of an extensive reporting and research project about him, reading old biographies and yellowed magazine clips and interviewing his teammates, manager, and opponents. “You can’t practice diving,” he added. “The only time I practiced diving was in Spring Training. They were trying to get a photo shot of me diving for a ball. I had to do it 15 times before they got what they wanted.”