Sylvia Bloom worked as a secretary at a New York City law firm for 67 years. Over that time, and unbeknownst to family and friends, she saved over $9 million.
When she passed away in 2016, at age 96, Bloom decided to give a good portion of her money to the Expanded Horizons College Success program at the Henry Street Settlement, which helps underprivileged young adults attend college.
How Did She Make So Much Money?
According to the New York Times, who spoke to Bloom’s family, she saved the money by taking note of the stocks her managers had purchased, and buying the stock in smaller amounts.
Her niece, Jane Lockshin, tells the New York Times, “She was a secretary in an era when they ran their boss’s lives, including their personal investments… So when the boss would buy a stock, she would make the purchase for him, and then buy the same stock for herself, but in a smaller amount because she was on a secretary’s salary.”
Some portion of her fortune will go to family and friends. However, a bulk of it is going towards scholarships for those in need.
“I realized she had millions and she had never mentioned a word,” says Lockshin. “I don’t think she thought it was anybody’s business but her own.”