“Very few sports stars, other than Lance Armstrong, actually donate to their own charities,” says a tax adviser. “Most of them say, ‘My fans will donate.’ Their attitude is ‘I’m contributing my celebrity to this cause.’”
— Vanessa Grigoriadis (2011): Our Lady of Malawi in the New York Magazine.
Andrew Sullivan extracts the crucial point in Vanessa Grigoriadis’ article on the failures of many celebrity charities.
As we work on social action this cycle, it’s important to consider why we’re contributing, and what it takes to make a meaningful contribution.