$9M Charity Lunch Becomes $27M With Buffett's Match

A winning bid of $9 million for lunch with Warren Buffett and Stephen Curry just turned into $27 million for two charities helping kids and families in need.

The weeklong eBay auction ended Thursday with a final bid of $9,000,100. The anonymous winner and up to seven guests will join Buffett, NBA star Stephen Curry, and entrepreneur Ayesha Curry for lunch on June 24 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Here's where the story gets even better. Buffett announced he'll match the winning bid separately for each of the two benefiting charities, tripling the total impact to roughly $27 million.

Half of the proceeds will support San Francisco's Glide Foundation, which provides meals, housing support, and addiction services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty in the city's Tenderloin district. Buffett has championed Glide since his late wife Susan volunteered there before her death in 2004, raising over $53 million through 21 previous charity lunch auctions between 2000 and 2022.

The other half benefits Eat. Learn. Play., founded by Stephen and Ayesha Curry to provide healthy meals, boost childhood literacy, and promote active lifestyles for children and families. Ayesha Curry has become a leading voice against childhood hunger while building her career as a cookbook author and entrepreneur.

Stephen Curry, a four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP with the Golden State Warriors, brings star power and genuine commitment to the cause. His foundation has already touched thousands of families in the Bay Area and beyond.

The Ripple Effect

This auction shows how creative partnerships between business leaders and athletes can multiply generosity. The 2022 lunch auction raised $19 million, the highest amount ever recorded for a charity auction on eBay, but this year's matching pledge sets a new standard for impact.

Buffett, now 95 and still chairman of Berkshire Hathaway after six decades as CEO, has long promoted business-charity partnerships as drivers of social change. According to Forbes, he plans to donate nearly all of his $143.5 billion fortune to a charitable trust managed by his three children.

One lunch is about to provide thousands of meals, safe shelter for families in crisis, and educational opportunities for kids who need them most.