Warren Buffett has given $50.7 billion toward historic pledges to the Gates Foundation and others

By MARIA DI MENTO of The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Chronicle of Philanthropy

After 17 years of steady payments, Warren Buffett has to date given annual donations totaling $50.7 billion toward his historic multibillion-dollar pledges to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and to four foundations connected to his family, according to a Chronicle tally. He announced his latest annual payments toward his pledges on Wednesday. Buffett became the biggest donor in history in June 2006 by pledging billions to several foundations. With these latest payments, he has given the Gates Foundation nearly $39.3 billion, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation almost $4.2 billion, and more than $2.4 billion apiece to the Sherwood, Howard G. Buffett, and Novo foundations.