Charity is not a modern phenomenon by any means, but has an abundant and progressing history that extends over two thousands years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, instantly think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first chronicled instance of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the origin of the philanthropy meaning and word, taking place over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this period, the word suggested something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one may apply to the term these days, but nonetheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the community, assisting to set up the cash for repair work to public works like city walls or temples in addition to financing festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not looked upon well, and if a rich individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.
Many different entities have actually been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the central charitable force in the modern-day world, that is not always entirely accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual institutions like the church that would have been the main charitable centers, both within the community and on larger level undertakings. That changed with the coming of industry when rich individuals ended up being more powerful, and after that shifted once again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to emerge that were much better organised and could commit more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured today, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, rich individuals, or firms like SJP.
The way that charity has been financed has altered a good deal throughout the course of human history, moving between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as various needs have actually emerged. Now, there are a great many issues that need to be attended to, from widening inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will inevitably play an important part in that process. Rich individuals with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the businesses that are the central centers of monetary generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or establishing ESG dedications, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.