As civilisation has actually established across the world, so has the way that individuals and organisations help those in need.

The majority of us will acknowledge and value the role that famous philanthropists play in assisting the world in this day and age, passing on their hard-earned fortunes to help those who require it most. For a great deal of the most affluent individuals and organisations right now, charity is a chance to put their earnings towards an excellent cause. This is not just something limited to the twenty-first century either, it has been the case for countless years. Charity and altruism were considered a main part of a good life and a healthy society, with the Ancient Greeks thinking philanthropy to be essential to functioning democracy. It was here that the word itself came from, indicating 'man-loving' in its initial shape. It was viewed as a requirement of the rich to share their wealth for the health and wellbeing of the community, with rich citizens helping with public causes like the upkeep of temples and city walls or funding public festivals. We might not call it a duty as such now, however those who do not engage with charity in any kind will definitely see their reputations suffer.

As one may anticipate of anything throughout 2 thousand years, philanthropy meaning has developed throughout the ages, and so has its focus. Following the middle ages, the main source of philanthropic duty moved from religious institutions like the church to wealthy individuals. At the same time, the focus of philanthropy shifted towards the towns and cities rather from the impoverished countryside. Throughout the following centuries, business owners took on a sense of responsibility towards those in need, especially throughout and after durations of war and turmoil which left lots of households having a hard time. Towards completion of the 19th century we started to see the establishment of philanthropic businesses like foundations to assist deal with big problems, similar to the one established by SJP these days.

Throughout the most challenging moments in human history, charity has always been there to provide an assisting hand to those in dire requirement. This was specifically real throughout the twentieth century, when private philanthropy continued to support troops throughout the World Wars and their families who were left behind. During the 2nd World War in particular, foundations started to interact and ended up being more specialist. This is much the same structure as charity work takes right now, with a network of companies and individuals working together to fund and enact tasks, although the variety and scope of humanitarian jobs is far more ambitious. Some foundations are taking on substantial international concerns through their work, and corporate philanthropy is now the requirement of contemporary business practices with companies like Vanguard Group and Morgan Stanley contributing to the process.