Words by Smiley Team
When cable TV was in its infancy in America in the 1960s, Amos Hostetter Jr spotted an opportunity.
His business, Continental Cablevision, was founded in 1963 and sold three decades later for $11bn.
Today Hostetter, 84, has a personal fortune of $3.8bn and spends the majority of his time dedicated to philanthropy.
In his lifetime he has given away $1.2bn, mainly through his charitable foundation, the Barr Foundation, based in Boston.
Their giving focuses on causes related to climate change, arts and education, and the foundation makes grants with around $60m every year.
In a recent blog for the foundation Hostetter explained his commitment to fighting climate change. He wrote: “Why focus on climate in the first place? For myself and my family, it started with our being parents (and now grandparents) and with that question parents in every generation ask: ‘Will we leave a better world than the one we inherited?’
“Unfortunately, until now, the answer from our generation has been, ‘No.’
“Runaway climate change ranks among the most damning evidence. So does the inequity in who is suffering.”
In order to address that inequity the Barr Foundation has financially supported the Boston Climate Plan, and backed efforts to reduce emissions from buildings and transportation.
But for Hostetter the fight is only just beginning. In his blog he added: “This is a moment for us to recommit and indeed enhance our efforts to make the world a better, healthier, and more equitable place for future generations.”
For more information see the Barr Foundation website or follow them on Twitter.
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