Oprah's Charity Work

Oprah Winfrey is well known for her open-hearted generosity to those in need. She has sponsored several charities, such as her Angel Network, which was inspired by a young guest on her talk show in 1994. She and her friends had started a program they called the Penny Harvest and raised $1000 for charity.

In 1997, Oprah asked her viewers to send in their spare change to help others through her Angel Network program. Thanks to their response, 150 deserving students each received a $25,000 college scholarship. Oprah also asked her audience to volunteer their time with Habitat for Humanity, the home-building program that former President Jimmy Carter created. Over 15,000 people volunteered their time as a result of that request, and another 200 homes were built with their help. Since its inception, Oprah's Angel Network has built schools and provided textbooks all over the world. Children in South Africa aren't permitted to attend school without uniforms, which many parents can't afford to buy. The Angel Network has provided a million dollars' worth of uniforms to these children.

Oprah has been recognizing the efforts of remarkable individuals and organizations that make a difference in the lives of others in their communities for nearly two decades, helping them to grow and make even more of a contribution to their communities. The causes Oprah supports typically involve empowering people through education and home-ownership, protecting children, and disaster-relief programs. She stresses the power that individuals have to band together for the enrichment, protection, and betterment of the community as a whole. She fosters leadership qualities and responsibility in the young to create a positive cycle that will echo for decades to come.