Buffett lunch auction nets $1.68 million for charity

OMAHA, Nebraska (AP) – The winner of this year’s charity auction to dine with billionaire Warren Buffett gets a slight discount over last year, but will still plunk down more than $1.68 million for lunch.

Glide Foundation spokeswoman Denise Lamott says the group is thrilled by the auction’s success, even if it is slightly off last year’s record $2.1 million.

Buffett annually auctions off a lunch and donates the proceeds to Glide Foundation, which provides social services to San Francisco’s homeless and poor.

Lamott said Friday that this year’s winner will remain anonymous, at least for the time being.

Buffett, who is Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman and chief executive, is known for both his investing success and philanthropy. He plans to gradually give most of his $36 billion fortune to five foundations.