Philanthropy has actually long been a central part of a fair and thriving culture, but the way that it works has actually altered throughout the years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for giving away their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first recorded instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the inception of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this period, the word suggested something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one might apply to the term today, however nevertheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, helping to put up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with financing celebrations and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community altogether.
Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the central charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not necessarily totally correct, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual institutions like the church that would have been the primary charitable hubs, both within the town and on larger level undertakings. That changed with the coming of industry when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that shifted once again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations started to spring up that were much better set up and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or firms like SJP.
The way that charity has actually been funded has altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has altered as different needs have actually emerged. Today, there are a great many problems that need to be dealt with, from growing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will inevitably play a crucial part in that process. Rich people with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the companies that are the central centers of monetary generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.