Warren Buffett does not include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in his midyear or annual charitable donations of Berkshire Hathaway stock, according to reports. Instead of directing a portion of his Berkshire shares to the Gates Foundation, Buffett donates thousands of shares to four foundations associated with his children. CNBC and Forbes both report that the Gates Foundation is omitted from the list of recipients for his stock-based giving. Forbes adds that the Berkshire Hathaway chair makes these gifts by transferring shares to the four child-run foundations rather than sending any of the shares to the Gates Foundation. The change is described in the context of his regular pattern of donating Berkshire stock to charitable organizations, but with the Gates Foundation removed from the recipient lineup for the relevant donation period. The reports do not cite a detailed explanation for why the Gates Foundation is excluded.