{"id":11907,"date":"2025-10-20T07:38:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/11907\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T07:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T07:38:15","slug":"houston-billionaire-philanthropists-nancy-and-rich-kinder-to-donate-95-of-11-billion-fortune-to-local-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/11907\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston billionaire philanthropists Nancy and Rich Kinder to donate 95% of $11 billion fortune to local causes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Houston <\/a>billionaires Nancy and Rich Kinder say they are giving away most of their money – about $10 billion – to help the city that made them who they are.<\/p>\n

In an interview with ABC13 Houston\u2019s Melanie Lawson, the couple confirmed that they have pledged to donate 95% of their fortune to local causes – parks, education, and arts among their main priorities.<\/p>\n

Houston billionaires reaffirm $10 billion pledge<\/p>\n

The Kinders spoke after breaking ground on an $18.5 million expansion of Emancipation Park in Houston\u2019s Third Ward. Their Kinder Foundation provided the lead funding for the project, which will add a new outdoor performance stage and a renovated cultural center.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been very fortunate,\u201d Rich Kinder said during the interview. \u201cWhatever wealth you accumulate is really the result of a lot of other people helping you along the way.\u201d He added that the goal has always been to leave the world \u201ca little better\u201d than they found it.<\/p>\n

Their words are not just talk. The Kinders were early signatories of The Giving Pledge, the campaign started by Bill Gates<\/a>, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett<\/a> back in 2010.<\/p>\n

Also Read | Second No Kings protest organised against Trump administration is the US<\/a>Decades of giving through the Kinder Foundation<\/p>\n

While many billionaires promise to give away at least half their wealth, the Kinders went further – committing to 95% when they joined in 2011. Their giving happens mostly through the Kinder Foundation, which they launched soon after marrying in 1997.<\/p>\n

According to Forbes, as of October 19, 2025, the Kinders are Houston\u2019s wealthiest residents, with a combined net worth of about $11.2 billion. Most of that money, they have now said again, will not stay with them.<\/p>\n

The Emancipation Park expansion is the latest in a long line of Houston projects supported by the couple. They have funded parks, libraries, and education initiatives across the city, and have quietly shaped the way Houston looks and feels today.<\/p>\n

Also Read | Texas vs Kentucky: Wildcats fall just short in overtime loss to Longhorns<\/a>How the Kinders\u2019 philanthropy is shaping Houston\u2019s future<\/p>\n

In an exclusive interview with the Houston Chronicle, Rich Kinder said the couple first got involved with Emancipation Park back in 2012. They\u2019ve sponsored the park\u2019s \u201cJazzy Sundays\u201d concerts since then – events that have drawn thousands. \u201cIt\u2019s really the heart of Third Ward,\u201d he said. \u201cIt needs to be enhanced and preserved for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The park\u2019s redesign is scheduled to finish before next year\u2019s Juneteenth celebrations, a symbolic deadline considering its deep history in the city\u2019s Black community.<\/p>\n

In the interview with ABC13, Nancy said she wants her grandchildren \u201cto be proud” of them, adding that she wants “them to know that’s what we expect of them when they grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

As their foundation continues to expand its reach, the Kinders\u2019 legacy will likely be measured not in billions, but in how Houston itself continues to grow.<\/p>\n

FAQsWho are Nancy and Rich Kinder?<\/p>\n

They are Houston-based billionaires and philanthropists known for founding the Kinder Foundation.<\/p>\n

How much money are they donating?<\/p>\n

The Kinders plan to give away 95% of their wealth – roughly $10 billion – to Houston charities.<\/p>\n

What causes will benefit from their donation?<\/p>\n

Their donations support parks, education, the arts, and local community projects.<\/p>\n

What is the Emancipation Park project?<\/p>\n

It is an $18.5 million expansion in Houston\u2019s Third Ward funded by the Kinder Foundation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Houston billionaires Nancy and Rich Kinder say they are giving away most of their money – about $10…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11908,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[10158,56,10156,58,57,10161,10157,10155,10154,10160,10159],"class_list":["post-11907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-emancipation-park-expansion","tag-houston","tag-houston-billionaires","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-houston-parks-and-education","tag-houston-philanthropy","tag-kinder-foundation","tag-nancy-and-rich-kinder","tag-rich-kinder-net-worth","tag-the-giving-pledge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}