Oprah ranked most-generous celebrity

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Oprah Winfrey tops the list of charitable celebrities with more than $40 million given away to various programs last year, an analysis of public records shows.

Novelist Nora Roberts was a distant second on the list compiled by The Giving Back Fund, followed by actress Meryl Streep.

Streep donated $4 million to the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts and Roberts parceled out $4.45 million to literacy programs through her Nora Roberts Foundation.

Oprah also went the foundation route in supporting a number of causes, including education programs for women and children. "There are many generous celebrities, but when you can top a list of celebrity philanthropists three out of four years, as Oprah has, that is saying something," said Marc Pollick, president of The Giving Back Fund.

The Giving Back Fund organizes and manages foundations and other philanthropic programs on behalf of celebrities who want to turn some of their fortunes back to the community, People magazine said Saturday. The group compiled its rankings by analyzing tax returns, media reports and other public information. The list does not include private donations.