Charity is not a contemporary phenomenon by any means, but has a rich and developing history that stretches over 2 thousands years.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly consider a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has been the case for lots of thousands of years, with the very first recorded instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word meant something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term nowadays, however nevertheless rich people played an essential charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were anticipated to give back to the community, helping to install the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples along with financing festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community altogether.
Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be seen as the main charitable force in the modern world, that is not always completely accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual institutions like the church that would have been the primary charitable hubs, both within the town and on larger level undertakings. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy people became more powerful, and after that shifted once again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations started to spring up that were much better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured now, whether those foundations are developed by grassroots groups, rich individuals, or businesses like SJP.
The way that charity has actually been financed has altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has altered as different requirements have emerged. Now, there are a great many concerns that have to be resolved, from increasing inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will inevitably play an essential part in that process. Wealthy people with bank accounts that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the companies that are the main centers of financial generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or establishing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.