Buffett charity lunch sold to highest bidder for over $2.6M

OMAHA, Neb. — An anonymous bidder has agreed to pay more than $2.6 million for a private lunch with billionaire Warren Buffett, with the auction proceeds going to a California homeless charity.

The winning bid of $2,679,001 was announced Friday night, as the online auction that started Sunday wrapped up. That’s lower than last year’s winning bid of $3,456,789, which tied for the record set in 2012. Organizers said in a news release that they still are grateful for the generous support.

For the 18th consecutive year, Buffett auctioned off a lunch to raise money for the Glide Foundation, which helps homeless people in San Francisco. The chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway has raised more than $25 million through the auctions.

Glide provides meals, health care, job training, rehabilitation and housing support to the poor and homeless. Buffett has praised the charity for the work it does helping people.