Tommye Sutton of Chicago, Illinois is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and networking professional. Tommye Sutton has worked in a variety of fields and has extensive experience as a law enforcement executive including service as a Chief of Police. Mr. Sutton has knowledge in many areas of expertise, and in the below article, he discusses how philanthropy is still alive and well in today’s world.
The daily news cycle may focus on the darker side of things but philanthropists around the world continue to help improve the lives of people affected by famine, illness, war, and poverty. Although we may not hear about it as frequently, philanthropy is still alive and well and has even seen a growth in support over the past couple of years.
From billionaire philanthropists to global foundations established to fight healthcare inequality, there’s no doubt that philanthropy is working to improve the world. Tommye Sutton explores some recent victories and discovers how charitable works are thriving in today’s ever-tense climate.
A Private Donor Offers $19 Million to Eat with Warren Buffet
Every year, the Oracle of Omaha offers a charity event where donors can bid on the chance to sit down with Warren Buffet for a steak lunch. All proceeds from the event are donated to a selected charity. This year, the donation will be awarded to GLIDE, a non-profit based in San Francisco that fights poverty throughout the city says Tommye Sutton.
Tommye Sutton says that 2022 marks the first time in two years that Buffet has been able to host the charity lunch, due to ongoing restrictions to halt the spread of COVID-19. As this is the first lunch since the outbreak of the pandemic, bidders have been in fierce competition to speak and eat with the multi-billionaire investment mogul. At closing, the charity capped out at a single record-breaking $19 million donation.
The identity of the donor remains a mystery, however, as it was gifted from an anonymous account. Regardless of who made the charitable offering, their money will go to providing food, medical assistance, and housing to San Francisco’s poorest individuals according to Tommye Sutton.
The Gates Foundation Continues to Push Polio Towards Eradication
Tommye Sutton explains that there was a time not more than a generation ago when polio affected hundreds of thousands of children across the world. It tore through some of the poorest communities in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, leaving countless children paralyzed and debilitated for life. Yet, in just a few decades, we are now closer to eradicating polio than ever before.
Thanks to ongoing efforts by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and funding through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, only two remaining countries report active cases of polio—Afghanistan and Pakistan. Yet, 2022 could be the year that polio ceases to exist.
Starting on May 23, 2022, the Pakistan National Task Force began a five-day campaign to vaccinate nearly 43 million children throughout the country with support from the Gates Foundation says Tommye Sutton. If successful, Pakistan could see a complete elimination of the disease, leaving just one country left to fight the disease.
It’s fair to point out that, if polio is successfully eradicated, it would mark only the second time in history that the medical and scientific communities have defeated a virus; the first being smallpox. This is no small feat, though, given how easily polio spreads before showing symptoms. It truly is through the ongoing efforts of philanthropic donations that such an outcome has become a reality explains Tommye Sutton.
Donations Continue to Pour in to Fight the Food Crisis in Ukraine
The past year has been filled with turmoil and disaster, leaving many countries in a state of emergency. One such place is Ukraine, where war and blockades have led to a severe food crisis affecting millions of people around the world. In response to the crisis, international aid organizations have been quick to provide support in the form of food and supplies discusses Tommye Sutton, former chief of police at UVA.
On the ground in Ukraine, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has been working tirelessly to provide food assistance to those in need, with much of the support coming from private donors. They have also teamed up with Uber to pinpoint drop-offs and directly provide humanitarian aid to those most in need says Tommye Sutton.
Meanwhile, Tommye Sutton explains that philanthropic non-profits such as the World Central Kitchen have directly lobbied the Russian government to cease blockades and allow food shipments to cross through the Black Sea. As Ukraine and Russia are two of the world’s largest grain suppliers, this would alleviate some of the pressure on global supply chains and provide much-needed food to nations in famine.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to get caught up in the negative new cycle but, as we can see, philanthropy is still very much alive and well. These examples are just a snapshot of the charitable work being done around the world to improve the lives of others. So, Tommye Sutton says that the next time you lose faith in humanity, remember that there are still people out there working to make a difference.
