Bill and Melinda Gates Issue Annual Foundation Letter

Bill and Melinda Gates don’t think it’s fair that they have so much money or so much influence — especially when others have so little. The couple released their foundation’s annual letter, answering the 10 toughest questions they get.

The questions ranged from why they are giving all their money away, to how the president’s policies affect them. They also say that anyone with a lot of money has the basic responsibility to spend time on philanthropy.

Part of their letter stated, “Once you’ve taken care of yourself and your children, the best use of extra wealth is to give it back to society.”  

It also stated, “It’s rare to have a job where you get to have both an impact and a lot of fun. I had it with Microsoft and I have it with the foundation,”

The couple have been philanthropists for the last 18 years and they founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000. In 2010, the Gates’ partnered up with Warren Buffett to start The Giving Pledge, a campaign to get rich people to give away most of their money. As of 2017, the giving pledge has 158 signatures — and most of them are from billionaires.

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