Charity is not a contemporary phenomenon by any means, but has a rich and evolving history that extends over 2 thousands years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, instantly consider a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has held true for many thousands of years, with the very first chronicled instance of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years earlier in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word suggested something more similar to 'loving of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term today, however nevertheless rich individuals played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were anticipated to give back to the community, assisting to set up the money for repair work to public works like city walls or temples as well as funding festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.
Several entities have actually been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be seen as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not necessarily totally true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable centers, both within the community and on bigger level projects. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations started to spring up that were much better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or businesses like SJP.
The manner in which charity has been financed has actually changed a good deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as different needs have emerged. Nowadays, there are a great many issues that have to be resolved, from increasing inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an important role in that procedure. Rich individuals with checking account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, but so do the companies that are the main centers of financial generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or developing ESG commitments, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.