Mrbeast’s philanthropy: within the charity work of the YouTube star

Mrbeast is known for its exaggerated viral videos and its exaggerated non -profit acts.

The YouTube star, whose real name Jimmy Donaldson is, gave up millions of dollars of causes such as the Arbor Day Foundation and Ocean Cleanup.

The 26-year-old started on YouTube by publishing videos under the user name Mrbeast6000 from Donaldson’s hometown Greenville, North Carolina, where he still lives.

In 2017 he became viral with a video in which he counted from zero to 100,000 and started a trip that caused him to become YouTube -Top creator.

He has over 395 million subscribers on YouTube. While Mrbeast’s net assets are unknown, he said in February 2025 that he was a billionaire on paper.

His non -profit stunts and giveaways helped him to become viral. In 2021 he asked the participants to stay in a circle and gave the last person to leave $ 500,000. The video received over 500 million views.

Mrbeast also heads a charity called Beast Philanthropy, which works on campaigns to donate money and resources. It also operates a food bench named Beast Pantry in North Carolina. Beast Philanthropy’s YouTube channel has over 27 million subscribers.

Donaldson began to include philanthropy in his content in 2017 after he had put his first brand sponsoring deal on YouTube.

He received 10,000 US dollars for the brand business and in the video gave the money as tips for pizza delivery drivers.

The giveaway changed the trajectory of Donaldson’s content strategy. From then on, he created content to give away money in his community, to Twitch streamers and even drivers to deliver food.

At first Donaldson’s giveaway helped him to become online viral, which in turn made it possible for him to donate more money to different people and charity organizations. But over time, his charity efforts were controversial.

Mrbeast’s philanthropic efforts: from giveaways to charity

Mrbeast has a variety of causes, including the planting of trees, cleaning the ocean and even for the payment of someone to give away a variety of causes and even pay for someone Cataract surgery.

In 2019, Donaldson met national news for his online campaign to collect money Plant 20 million trees. He teamed up with the Arbor Day Foundation on the #teamtrees movement, which even financed by Elon Musk.

MRBeast usually finances this charity by his shops, sponsoring deals and advertising for income from his YouTube channel.

He set up a team to lead his philanthropic efforts. This includes Darren Margolia, who worked in real estate development and has become the face of Beast philanthropy.

Donaldson’s charity efforts also had cultural effects, which made charity organization both “cool” and entertaining.

Counter reaction to Mrbeast’s philanthropy

Mrbeast’s charity have also drawn critics, who say that his philanthropic efforts are selfish.

For example, in 2023 he received a counter -reaction for his video on Twitter in which he Talented eye operations.

Donaldson replied on the social platform, which is now called X, and pointed out the irony: “Twitter – rich should help others with their money. I – okay, I will use my money to help people and I promise to give away all of my money before I die. Every single Penny. Twitter – Mrbeast bad.”

This was anything but the only time that Donaldson was accused of being performative in his non -profit acts. Some even called its staged videos on the Internet.

His large gestures were accused of not having contributed to the resolutions of systemic problems such as poverty and instead. After his video from 2024 with the title “I built 100 houses and they gave away,” some fans online criticized the YouTuber for using the topics of the video to get views.

He also triggered controversy in 2023 when Donaldson gave a car to a waitress in a Tikok video. Some fans said online that they were disappointed that the car exhibited its YouTube logo and the name of his chocolate brand, FeaTable, and accused him of using the giveaway for advertising.

In times of the counter reaction, Mrbeast usually shaken up every criticism and doubled that he does not give up to return something.

Representatives of Jimmy Donaldson did not immediately respond to a request for comments about this story.