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When we read about celebrity and corporate philanthropy in the news, the numbers often sound huge: millions of dollars here, millions there.

But what does it really mean when famous people give money away?

And more importantly, does it come from a real place of caring?

Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson, author of Giving Is Not Just for The Very Rich, has spent years studying how people give and has come to the conclusion that true giving starts with something deeper than money. True giving starts with goodness from the heart–the kind of giving that comes from a real wish to help others, not just to look good in the press.

Gitelson explains that celebrities “use their enormous media impact to galvanize people for the causes they advocate.”

But how much of their giving is real acts of genuine kindness, and how much is just for show?

Let’s look at what celebrities actually give away and why it matters.

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More Than Just Writing Checks

Celebrities have more money than most of us, but having money doesn’t always mean someone will share it. When famous people give, it often comes from something personal. Perhaps it’s because they’ve seen suffering up close, have lost loved ones to disease, or they grew up poor themselves.

This is compassionate altruism in action: caring about others and taking action. Gitelson writes in her book about how “people who have suffered from a disease or who have known afflicted people… want to conquer the disease and improve conditions for the sufferers.”

This kind of giving comes from real-life experience.

Bono: Fighting for the World’s Poor

Some celebrities use their fame to fight big problems. Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, has spent decades working to help the poor in many countries. He fights for debt relief for nations that cannot pay their bills and raises money to fight AIDS and hunger in Africa.

Gitelson notes that Bono “has aroused enormous public support for his causes, such as third-world debt relief, hunger and AIDS, especially in Africa.” He does not just give his own money, but he also gets presidents and world leaders to pay attention, organizing benefit concerts that raise millions of dollars.

This kind of giving takes real commitment.

Bono has been working on this for many years, indicating that this is not a one-time photo opportunity but the goodness from his heart that keeps going even when the cameras are not rolling.

Michael J. Fox: Turning Pain into Purpose

When actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age thirty, he could have retreated from public life and focused on himself. Instead, he chose to fight and started the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Gitelson mentions in her book that Fox “wanted to devote himself to the campaign for more research about the disease.”

His foundation is now among the largest funders of Parkinson’s research worldwide, having raised hundreds of millions of dollars.

Fox uses his own experience to drive the work, taking advantage of authentic empathy in its purest form. He knows what people with Parkinson’s go through, and he wants to help them.

Michael J. Fox wants to find a cure. Therefore, his giving comes straight from the heart.

Angelina Jolie: Standing with Refugees

Actress Angelina Jolie could have stayed in Hollywood making movies. Instead, she started visiting refugee camps, where she saw and met families who had lost everything. Across the world, she saw children with no homes, no schools, no hope.

Gitelson writes that while filming a movie in Colombia, Jolie “became concerned about humanitarian problems.” This led her to visit refugee camps in those countries and others. She became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, visiting war zones and dangerous places to bring attention to people the world forgets.

This is compassionate altruism that goes beyond just giving money.

Jolie puts herself in difficult situations to help others and uses her fame to give a voice to people who have none.

The Truth About Celebrity Giving

So how much do celebrities really give away?

The truth is, it varies. Some give millions, while some give their time, and others give their voices. There are a few who give all three.

The important thing to remember is that anyone can give, no matter how much money they have.

Celebrities show us that goodness from the heart takes many forms: starting a foundation, visiting refugee camps, giving away all the profits from your business, or it could mean just speaking up for people who cannot speak for themselves.

But the real question is not how much celebrities give, but how much you can give? What can you do to help others?

What We Can Learn from Celebrity Giving

When we look at how celebrities give, we learn some important lessons.

First, giving is personal. Most celebrities give to causes that have touched their own lives: Michael J. Fox gives to Parkinson’s research because he has the disease, while Angelina Jolie helps refugees because she has seen their suffering.

Find what matters to you and give there.

Second, giving takes many forms. You do not have to be rich to help because you can always volunteer. Or you can speak up, or you can mentor a young person. Or you can donate your time to a cause you believe in.

Third, giving should be smart. Gitelson spends a whole section of her book teaching readers “How to Evaluate Charities,” listing watchdog agencies and explaining how to check if a charity is really doing good work. Before you give, do your research. Make sure your money will actually help.

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The Joy That Comes from Giving

Here is something interesting. People who give are often happier than people who do not. Gitelson mentions a study in her book that found “[43%] of those who gave money to charity were more likely than non-givers to indicate they were ‘very happy.'”

This is the secret that celebrities who donate already know. Helping others feels good because it gives life meaning and it helps connect us to something bigger than ourselves. Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson’s Giving Is Not Just for The Very Rich: A How-To Guide for Giving and Philanthropy is available now to discover the joy that comes from helpi