‘Time 100’ Includes Charity Leaders; ‘Town and Country’ Focuses on Generous Families

Several nonprofit leaders were among Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world

Among those cited in the issue for April 29 and May 6:

• Christopher Fabian and Erica Kochi, who together lead Unicef’s Innovations Unit. Mr. Fabian and Ms. Kochi helped develop RapidSMS, an online tool charities worldwide now use to collect and monitor data, and coordinate program logistics and communication. According to Unicef, RapidSMS has allowed it to register births in Nigeria, provide care to pregnant women in Rwanda, help to diagnose and treat children with HIV in Zambia, and track the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in the fight against malaria.
• Eric Greitens, a former Navy SEAL who founded the Mission Continues, a nonprofit that helps veterans ease back into civilian life. Vets are supported for a six-month service stint at local nonprofits, where they lead public-service programs addressing problems like illiteracy, homelessness, and unemployment. To see the entire Time list, go to: time100.time.com

Bill Gates, along with his wife, Melinda, appears in Town & Country’s list of the 50 most prominent U.S. families (May). In a section devoted to the 10 most-generous American families, the Gateses took first place for giving away $26-billion, mostly to their foundation.

Second on the list: the family of Sam Walton, who founded Walmart, the most-generous corporate grant maker in the country. The Walton family supports education, marine conservation, and human-services programs.

The Waltons are followed by the Lauder family, heirs to the fortune of cosmetics giant Esteé Lauder, and donors to the arts, education, breast cancer research, and Jewish causes.

In another section on inspiring families, philanthropy also gets the spotlight. Among them: The children of the actors Dana and Christopher Reeve and Cecile Richards, head of Planned Parenthood (and daughter of Ann Richards, the former Texas governor).

To see Town & Country’s list, go to townandcountrymag.com