Jon Huntsman's Charitable Works

Brad Pitt is not the only one who actually engages in charitable works. While the GOP presidential candidate slate panders to disgusting lengths to those whose greed causes them to want to eliminate federal programs that assist the sick, the poor, the unemployed and the elderly, one GOP candidate quietly practices the Gospel message of helping others. And he does so without looking for political gain or self promotion. Yes, it's a novel concept for someone in today's Republican Party. Some even question whether Huntsman's good works - which have even extended to gay recipients of his willingness to help others might nor be a liability given the GOP base's desire to kick the unfortunate under the bus. Here are some highlights from Huffington Post:

WASHINGTON -- Maybe Jon Huntsman is just too nice of a guy to compete with someone who would strap his dog to the roof of his car or someone who would make firefighters buy their own gear. At least, that's the feeling you get if you talk to people who have seen the charity of the former Utah governor and his wife, Mary Kaye.

"They are wonderful humanitarians," said Pamela Atkinson, a near-legendary champion of the poor in Utah who advised Huntsman on charity while he was governor and has known him for two decades. "They're people I know I can always turn to."

Huntsman does not talk much about his charity, there are few news stories about it and his campaign declined to make his tax returns available for this series. But a review of available public data and interviews suggest he is generous.

While his campaign did not disclose dollar figures, it said much of Huntsman's giving went to his wife's charity, Power in You, which aids at-risk youth. He also gave to the House of Hope shelter and substance abuse treatment facility; the Salt Lake City Homeless Shelter; the Bag of Hope, a juvenile diabetes research foundation; the Mormon Church; the Washington National Cathedral in D.C. and the orphanages from which he adopted daughters Gracie Mei and Asha. Atkinson said the Huntsmans are not comfortable talking about their giving, and often prefer to help people directly.

Reed Cowan, a former Salt Lake City television anchor, has a close-up perspective on the Huntsmans' charitable side. Cowan worked closely with Mary Kaye Huntsman on Power in You. Before the charity's big gala several years ago, he decided that he had to come out and let the Huntsmans know he was gay. He didn't want to embarrass them, though, so he quit the group -- only to have them demand that he stay and then publicly embrace him at the gala.

A few days later, Cowan's young son, Wesley, died in a freak accident on the monkey bars at his ex-wife's home. Cowan said that the Huntsmans not only where there for him, but pushed him to make something good come out of it. That good was an effort to build Wesley Cowan schools for children in Kenya. The Huntsmans' help, Cowan said, ensured that it succeeded and continues now.

If none of that was enough, Cowan turned to the Huntsmans recently when his sister was diagnosed with cancer. "In the terror of the diagnosis, I emailed [Mary Kaye Huntsman] and Jon and said 'I know you are in China ... and I hope the sun is up where you are ... I need my sister to get the best cancer care in the world ... I hope you get this,'" Cowan said by email. "Within minutes MKH and Jon and Jon Sr.'s family were in action and my sister was in the Huntsman Cancer Institute getting the best care."

Huntsman's charitable impulses don't seem to be much of an asset to his White House bid, however, as he polls in the range of 1 to 2 percent nationally. In fact, Huntsman has gotten crosswise to parts of the conservative Republican base after his interaction with people like Cowan -- whom some credit with inspiring Huntsman's embracing of same-sex civil unions. Still, Huntsman is sticking with that position, and people like Atkinson and Cowan are sure his charity will stand, as well.