It seems like the most recent pairing of star Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott in the upcoming movie Robin Hood has people pretty darn excited. I mean, what other logical explanation could there be what happened last night at the Jacob K. Javis Center?
As the Wall Street Journal reported, the Robin Hood Foundation, a charity targeting poverty in New York City, held a dinner party that drew some 3,600 people. Sting opened the night with a live acoustic version of “Message in a Bottle,” followed by comedic sets by Saturday Night Live‘s Seth Meyers and late-night host Jimmy Fallon. And not only were people entertained; they were also truly generous.
The event inspired people to give in excess of $88 million, which will go toward food programs, charter schools and job training. That amount was the largest the charity has ever raised in its 22-year history, eclipsing last year’s total of $72.7 million, which was the old record. Many thanks go to George Soros, as the philanthropist was reported to have given a matching grant, and as the Journal reported, it’s certainly possible the 400-point bump in the stock market may have also helped people add some zeroes to the checks they wrote. Whatever the case may be, it was a huge night for the Robin Hood Foundation and there will be countless thankful recipients of the attendees’ generosity.
Photo by Barbara Rich via Flickr.