Dear President and Mrs. Bush:
Thank you so much for your personal contribution of (US)$10,000 toward tsunami relief.
Things are very bad here, as we are sure you are well aware, and so your gift will be put to use immediately helping those of us who have lost everything we have.
It is great to see the outpouring of generosity from all around the world and we hope one day to be able to return the favor in kind.
Sincerely,
The Tsunami Victims
Woodburydadd notes that, like the
space-time continuum itself, the Bush's generosity is all relative:
The Bush's $10,000 contribution is about 15% of their total charitable contributions of $68,360 and about 1% of their annual income of $822,126 (according to their 2003 tax return).
Or, as a percentage of the Bush's wealth, it's about 0.08% of their $13,000,000 net worth (as estimated by the Los Angeles Times).
Capital News 9 (Washington, DC) - Bush gives $10,000 to quake relief
2 comments:
Yeah well, what about "the other side?" - Here you go..
Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005 5:48 p.m. EST
Ketchup Heiress Teresa Makes Modest Tsunami Contribution
Charities controlled by billionaire ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz have pledged a relatively modest $450,000 to tsunami relief in recent days, with Mrs. Heinz explaining she prefers to keep her charitable contributions local.
Heinz Endowments announced Saturday that it would contribute $400,000 to tsunami relief, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. And the Washington, D.C.-based Heinz Family Philanthropies will add another $50,000.
The Heinz money will go to the Brother's Brother Foundation, a local international relief group.
In a prepared statement, Mrs. Heinz explained, "Obviously, our philanthropic focus is here in America and in Pittsburgh, but the astronomical proportions of this disaster demand that we act."
While generous, the Heinz contribution doesn't come close to actress Sandra Bullock, who donated $1 million to tsunami relief. Or race-car driver Michael Schumacher, who pledged $10 million during a telethon on German television last week.
U.S. corporations have, by and large, been extraordinarily generous in the wake of the South Asian disaster. Pfizer Inc., for instance, has pledged $10 million cash and $25 million in drugs to relief agencies.
General Motors pledged over $2 million in cash and agreed to match employee donations. The company will also provide vehicles to transport medical supplies and food to the stricken region.
Heinz Foods has two factories in Indonesia and one in Thailand - countries heavily affected by the tsunami disaster.
Mrs. Heinz's husband, former presidential candidate John Kerry, has not said whether he'll make a contribution to tsunami relief.
Of course she didn't call attention to her gift or hold it up as an example like the little guy did.
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