The Oscars of Philanthropy

This Thursday, the world will see a different kind of red-carpet affair — the do-gooder Oscars, otherwise known as the Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy. According to a press release from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Medal, given every two years, honors families and individuals "who have dedicated their private wealth to the public good."

The 2009 award winners — Michael R. Bloomberg, the Koç Family, Gordon and Betty Moore, and Sanford and Joan Weill — are being recognized for their work creating and supporting nonprofits around the world to address concerns in health, education, culture and science. The award expresses Andrew Carnegie's idea that "with wealth comes responsibility.”

Bill Moyers will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the October 15 awards event at the New York Public Library. The awards ceremony will cap off an all-day affair that will include a roundtable discussion called "Foundations of Modern Philanthropy: Private Wealth to Public Good, 1889-2009."

This year’s winners are veteran charitable givers:

Michael Bloomberg, New York City's 108th mayor, donated $235 million to charity in 2008, more than the year before, in line with his increasing giving throughout the prior decade.The Koç family continues a legacy begun by the family patriarch more than eight decades ago by contributing to the well-being of Turkey and its people through the Vehbi Koç Foundation, the first private foundation in Turkey. Betty and Gordon Moore, founders of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, give widely and on a large scale in the areas of environmental conservation, science and the San Francisco Bay Area. Joan and Sanford Weill have been giving for more than 50 years, their contributions totaling more than $800 million, with particular focus on culture and medical education.

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