Ted Turner’s UN philanthropy grows to $4 billion after washerwoman’s $150,000 gift inspires him

Ted Turner’s decision to give $1 billion to the United Nations in 1997 was inspired by a story he heard about a washerwoman in Mississippi who donated her life savings of $150,000 for college scholarships. His daughter, Laura Turner Seydel, shared that detail at a celebration of his life at the United Nations, where she also revealed that another $3 billion had since been donated to match his original gift, reported the Associated Press (AP).Turner, who founded CNN and became one of the most influential figures in global media, died in May at the age of 87 after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. His legacy, according to those who knew him, extends far beyond broadcasting and into the world of philanthropy, environmentalism and international cooperation. Read more, as per AP, here:The story that inspired a billion-dollar giftTurner’s daughter recounted how her father was moved by the story of the washerwoman, whose act of generosity struck a deep chord with him. He reportedly said that if she could give so much from so little, then he would have to do something equally significant.That moment led directly to his announcement at a UN gala dinner in September 1997, where he pledged $1 billion to support UN causes. At the time, it was the largest individual donation in history.The gift was…