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Oprah Winfrey, the most influential woman on television, is not just a chat queen but also one of the most charitable celebrities - she has donated 40 million dollars to the Oprah Winfrey Foundation. The Foundation works for causes including education and programs for women and children, according to a national philanthropic group. Novelist Nora Roberts came in second, donating 4.45 million dollars to the Nora Roberts Foundation to support literacy in underserved communities, followed by actress Meryl Streep, who gave 4 million dollars to the Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts. These contributions were made in 2009, the most recent year financial information was available, according to The Giving Back Fund, which compiled the celebrity list. "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," People magazine quoted Marc Pollick, president of 'The Giving Back Fund', as saying.

Oprah Winfrey donates $40mn to charity