The folks below are, to be blunt, the no-brainers. In some cases, their very names have become synonymous with a cause. Lance Armstrong: cancer research. Al Gore: the environment. Oprah: free cars. (Actually, those famous wheels are just the tip of the "niceberg" for Winfrey.) They've used every asset they've got to spread the gospel of giving—their money, their brains, even their pretty faces. Let's return the favor by giving them a tip of the cap.
Jimmy Carter Global HealthNobel Peace Prize winner, widely admired ex-president, tireless disease-prevention worker. Latest crusade: ending river blindness in Africa. Not bad for a peanut farmer.
Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Research
In 2000 the TV star gave himself a decade to find a cure for the disease he's had since 1991. So far, he's raised $80 million, driving scientists closer to the finish line.
Bill Gates Global Health, Education
The galaxy's alpha giver; no one approaches his nearly $30 billion in lifetime gifts. Next up: quitting Microsoft in 2008 to help reboot the U.S. public-education system.
Al Gore Environmentalism
His hit film has done more in a month for green awareness than his 20 years in D.C. Derided for pushing the issue as veep, his box office ($7 million so far) is sweet vindication.
Gordon Moore Environmentalism
Intel's cofounder is the world's top giver since 2001. His $7 billion total is more than even Gates's. And he doesn't just toss money around; Moore's known for funding solutions. [See the green groups funded, the Sierra Clubs and NRDC, here.]
Paul Newman Childhood Health
Who knew salad dressing could help save the world? His Newman's Own line has generated more than $200 million since ' 82. His camp for sick kids lets them be just that—kids.
Rosie O'Donnell Early Education and the Arts
For O'Donnell, it's all about the tykes. Her foundation has raised $56 million for child care; the Broadway project trains kids to belt out show tunes like the Queen of Nice herself.
David Rockefeller Medical Research And the Arts
He's upholding the tradition for the most famous surname in American philanthropy. He gives millions to art-education outreach, medical research and fighting AIDS in Africa.
Ted Turner International Security
Fearful of the apocalypse (seriously; check out his Web site), he's given $1.25 billion in global aid and founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative to ensure no one launches nukes.