Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg
(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, both 29 years of age, made history as the youngest couple ever to top the list of the most philanthropic Americans.
Silicon Valley's junior power couple catapulted themselves atop the 2013 list, compiled by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, following a December gift of 18 million shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The gift was valued at just shy of $1 billion at the time of the transaction when Facebook's stock was trading at $55.12.
The 18-million-share gift to the foundation is becoming an annual tradition for the philanthropic duo, who were also the second-most generous donors of 2012. In December of that year, the couple also gave 18 million shares to the foundation, though that gift was valued at around $500 million as the company's stock was trading at $27.71.
How the new funds will be put to use remains unknown, but both Zuckerberg and Chan have shown a predilection for sponsoring education- and healthcare-related programs. In January of this year, the couple earmarked $5 million from their previous gift to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to help the Ravenswood Family Health Center build a new health center in East Palo Alto, Calif.
"Providing high quality healthcare for everyone is important for building a strong community," Zuckerberg said at the time.
The Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, which metes out million-dollar prizes to scientists working to extend human life, is also partially financed by Zuckerberg's contributions to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
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