Each year, legendary investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett hosts just one charity lunch, always in support of GLIDE. Over the past 16 years, Buffett’s sustained commitment -- and the giving spirit of the winning bidders -- have helped raised nearly $18 million to support GLIDE’s unwavering mission to help San Francisco’s residents in need.
Bidding for this year’s eBay charity auction opened at 7:30 pm PDT on Sunday, May 31, and closed at 7:30 p.m. PDT on Friday, June 5. The bidding started at $25,000 and all bidders were pre-qualified prior to bidding. Mr. Zhu Ye, Chairman of the Board, Da Lian Zeus Entertainment Co., Ltd, is the 2015 winner. His company focuses on online gaming, based in Beijing, China. The winning sale price for the lunch was $2,345,678.
"We are deeply grateful to Warren Buffett for his friendship and commitment to GLIDE, and those who are most in need of our unconditional love and compassion," said Reverend Cecil Williams, GLIDE Co-founder and Minister of Liberation. "The Power of One Lunch with Warren Buffett and the partnership with eBay is a gratifying message to the world that we all care about one another and our connection to all humanity," said GLIDE Founding President Janice Mirikitani.
“eBay Giving Works is a leading charitable giving platform – it enables our eBay community to support the causes they care about as they buy and sell. The platform has supported over 30,000 charities and helped raise over half a billion dollars in donations. eBay Giving Works has been partnering with GLIDE in its mission of helping San Francisco residents in need for 13 consecutive years now. The first year in which GLIDE partnered with eBay Giving Works for the annual Warren Buffett lunch auction, the platform was able to increase fund donations tenfold. Since then, eBay Giving Works has helped GLIDE raise nearly $18 million,” said Claire Dixon, VP of Global Communications and Social Innovation, eBay.
The Annual Warren Buffett Lunch Charity Auction was conceived in 2000 by the late Susie Buffett who had a strong affinity for GLIDE and its work to provide dignity and opportunity to all people, regardless of income, gender, religion, political persuasion or any other factor. Each year, generous donors bid for the opportunity to meet Warren Buffett for lunch in New York City at Smith & Wollensky. Over the past 15 years, the winning bids have ranged from $25,000 to $3,456,789, with the funds going directly to support GLIDE’s programs, which help people overcome hunger, poverty, homelessness and debilitating health challenges. Last year’s auction brought in $2,166,766.
For more information about GLIDE please visit www.Glide.org.