The Top 12 Most Philanthropic Celebrities

Famous author J.K. Rowling fell off the Forbes billionaires list after she donated an estimated $160 million to charity. She said: "You have a moral responsibility when you've been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently."

George Lucas has, over the years, donated a total $4.25 million to the Lucasfilm Foundation and The George Lucas Educational Foundation "Edutopia", projects which have helped a large number of young people to attend university. He is also known for helping out up and coming filmmakers.

Ellen DeGeneres is known for her amazing giveaways on her former talk show as well as helping people in need. Her wife, Portia de Rossi started the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund in her name to help save endangered species around the world. Absolutely amazing philanthropy.

Meryl Streep and her husband (Donald Gummer) have established the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts and have donated $1 million a year to a number of organisations.

He is one of the richest men in the world but also one of the most generous. Bill Gates has donated an astounding $35 billion since 1994 and has founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has stated that, after his death, 90-95 percent of his entire fortune, which is currently about $80 billion, should be donated to various charities and projects.

Sir Elton John topped the Sunday Times Giving List in 2016 for donating an estimated $38 million to various charities. He started the Elton John AIDS Foundation and has had over 20 years of expertise in the fight against AIDS.

Emma Watson is both a member of the HeForShe initiative and a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador. In this year alone, she donated approximately $1.4 million to the anti-sexual harassment campaign. And she launched an ethical fashion line with PeopleTree in 2009.

Miley Cyrus has said to have supported 43 different charities and foundations. She is also the founder of the Happy Hippie Foundation which is a non profit organization with the mission "to rally young people to fight injustice facing homeless youth, LGBTQ youth, and other vulnerable populations."

U.S. talk show host and author Oprah Winfrey likes to use her wealth and influence to help other people. She has reportedly already donated over $200 million dollars to her foundation and the angel network over the last 20 years.

In 1995, Dolly Parton started her Imagination Library program which mails free books to children aged 0-5. On February 27th, 2018, she donated her 100 millionth book to the Library of Congress!