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A La Jolla woman gave away her $6 billion fortune to charity in her will. Damn, that's a lot of zeros.
Late S.D. heiress gave away $6 billion
Margaret A. Cargill was so understated that few knew the billionaire even lived in La Jolla much of her adult life. As an heir of the Midwest agribusiness empire Cargill Corp., she quietly, and anonymously, gave to her favorite causes.
It wasn’t until the cloak of secrecy was lifted when she died in 2006, at age 85, that many of her beneficiaries even learned her name.
This week Cargill was identified as No. 1 on the list of America’s top 50 donors in 2011 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Her gift? $6 billion.
Cargill’s complex estate finally had settled, the bulk split nearly equally between the Anne Ray Charitable Trust (named after her mother) and the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
Her bequests provide ongoing support to causes she had identified years ago: the environment, disasters, arts and culture, animal welfare, elderly care, children and health. Among specific charities: American Red Cross International Services, PBS, Nature Conservancy and YMCA of the USA.
The $6 billion won’t directly benefit Cargill’s favorite local charities, said foundation spokeswoman Sallie Gaines. Cargill, who never married, had created a separate foundation focused on Southern California. The local Salvation Army, St. Paul’s Senior Homes and the S.D. Humane Society were among her pet programs. While she mingled at receptions, she always kept her involvement a secret, even attending incognito the 2003 opening of the newly remodeled Humane Society, to which she gave $6.2 million.
Cargill was joined on the 2011 “Philanthropy 50” list by fellow La Jollans Irwin and Joan Jacobs, ranked No. 22, and Conrad T. Prebys, of Point Loma, No. 24.
The Jacobs’ $64.9 million in donations included $40 million to their S.D. Jewish Community Foundation fund and $15 million to the S.D. Public Library Foundation. Prebys’ 2011 total was $63.1 million, including $45 million to Scripps Health for a new cardiovascular institute and $15 million to the S.D. Zoological Society.
Super heroes: Two Camp Pendleton Marines were at the Super Bowl, thanks to the publisher of SmartSource Magazine. Sgt. Sheena Adams, who has received two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and Master Sgt. David Jarvis, a Bronze and Silver Star recipient, were selected for the trip by the Marine Corps Sgt. Major Micheal Barrett from more than 130,000 active-duty enlisted Marines.
High hopes: A rally at the Mount Soledad cross at 11 a.m. Thursday will mark the filing of an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by the Liberty Institute to save the 58-year-old memorial. Texas musician Jon Christopher Davis will sing his rally theme song: “Don’t Tear Me Down.”
Margaret A. Cargill was so understated that few knew the billionaire even lived in La Jolla much of her adult life. As an heir of the Midwest agribusiness empire Cargill Corp., she quietly, and anonymously, gave to her favorite causes.
It wasn’t until the cloak of secrecy was lifted when she died in 2006, at age 85, that many of her beneficiaries even learned her name.
This week Cargill was identified as No. 1 on the list of America’s top 50 donors in 2011 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Her gift? $6 billion.
Cargill’s complex estate finally had settled, the bulk split nearly equally between the Anne Ray Charitable Trust (named after her mother) and the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
Her bequests provide ongoing support to causes she had identified years ago: the environment, disasters, arts and culture, animal welfare, elderly care, children and health. Among specific charities: American Red Cross International Services, PBS, Nature Conservancy and YMCA of the USA.
The $6 billion won’t directly benefit Cargill’s favorite local charities, said foundation spokeswoman Sallie Gaines. Cargill, who never married, had created a separate foundation focused on Southern California. The local Salvation Army, St. Paul’s Senior Homes and the S.D. Humane Society were among her pet programs. While she mingled at receptions, she always kept her involvement a secret, even attending incognito the 2003 opening of the newly remodeled Humane Society, to which she gave $6.2 million.
Cargill was joined on the 2011 “Philanthropy 50” list by fellow La Jollans Irwin and Joan Jacobs, ranked No. 22, and Conrad T. Prebys, of Point Loma, No. 24.
The Jacobs’ $64.9 million in donations included $40 million to their S.D. Jewish Community Foundation fund and $15 million to the S.D. Public Library Foundation. Prebys’ 2011 total was $63.1 million, including $45 million to Scripps Health for a new cardiovascular institute and $15 million to the S.D. Zoological Society.
Super heroes: Two Camp Pendleton Marines were at the Super Bowl, thanks to the publisher of SmartSource Magazine. Sgt. Sheena Adams, who has received two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and Master Sgt. David Jarvis, a Bronze and Silver Star recipient, were selected for the trip by the Marine Corps Sgt. Major Micheal Barrett from more than 130,000 active-duty enlisted Marines.
High hopes: A rally at the Mount Soledad cross at 11 a.m. Thursday will mark the filing of an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court by the Liberty Institute to save the 58-year-old memorial. Texas musician Jon Christopher Davis will sing his rally theme song: “Don’t Tear Me Down.”
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