Ron Howard, 61, is more than a film director with vast accolades and demand. He’s uses his fame and money as a tool to create scholarships, support conservation, and help global nonprofit microfinance institutions.

The Ron and Cheryl Howard Family Foundation, founded in 1998, has given over $500,000 a year to support the above in addition to supporting communities in their home state of Connecticut.

The award-winning director of “Backdraft,” “Apollo” and “A Beautiful Mind” has also given to the Tribeca Film Institute, Jacob Burns Film Center, and to New York University’s School of the Arts.

Howard received another star on the Walk of Fame as a filmmaker in December 2015. His first star came from his television career in Happy Days and the Andy Griffen Show.

“It was always my dream to be a director. A lot of it had to do with controlling my own destiny, because as a young actor you feel at everyone's disposal. But I wanted to become a leader in the business.” Growing up in the Midwest set the foundation for Howard, and helping him to avoid getting sucked into Hollywood. He’s been married of 40 years as well, and a father of four and has three grandchildren—something many don’t see in the headlines. “

Honestly, if I wasn’t a director, I’d probably be a basketball coach,” he shared with Live Happy.com. “I know I’d love that, too, because I actually did coach my daughters’ high school team a while ago.” His daughter Bryce Howard is an accomplished actress.

She talked about how her parents taught her to be independent. My parents taught me many of the things that people need in life to feel confident-- practical things, such as managing finances, mucking out the goat barn, cleaning a house, doing repairs, mending a broken roof or a toilet, she told The Guardian.

“The irony today of all that teaching is that when my parents come over they'll see my husband Seth taking care of something practical and my mum will say: "We taught you this! Why aren't you doing it?"