Oprah Gives Over $40 Million For Charity

When it comes to lending support to important causes, Oprah Winfrey is tops.

People magazine reported that the talk-show host ranks number one as the most charitable celebrity, according to The Giving Back Fund. Winfrey has donated over $40 million dollars through her foundation, which supports initiatives such as education and women’s and children’s programs.

The 2010 Giving Back 30 list compiled by The Giving Back Fund was for contributions made last year. Following Winfrey on the list were author Nora Roberts with $4.45 million given away through her foundation for literacy causes, and actress Meryl Streep who donated $4 million to the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts.

Rounding out the Top Ten include: actress Jamie Gertz ($2.9 million), baseball player Lance Berkman ($2.1 million), football players Charles Woodson and Madieu Williams ($2 million each), Alec Baldwin (1.6 million), Barbra Streisand ($1.4 million) and boxer Oscar de la Hoya)

According to its Web site, The Giving Back Fund is a national charitable organization that supports philanthropic causes and philanthropists, including those in the entertainment industries. It uses tax and media information along with conversations with celeb representatives for its list.

It said that more than $79 million dollars were donated by celebrities for various causes in the nation.

"There are many generous celebrities, but when you can top a list of celebrity philanthropists three out of four years, as Oprah has, that is saying something,” Marc Pollick, president of The Giving Back Fund, told People.