Oprah Winfrey & Dwayne Johnson Team Up To Launch $10 Million Maui Wildfire Relief Fund
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Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson are using their star power for good.
The media mogul and the movie A-lister have teamed up to launch a new fundraising campaign for Maui wildfire relief, sharing in a joint Instagram video on Aug. 31 that they have started the initiative with a $10 million donation and are vowing that all proceeds will benefit victims directly.
“I have been meeting with people throughout the community that were impacted by the fires over the last few weeks, asking what they most needed and how I could be of service,” Oprah, who owns a home on the island, said in a press release. “The main thing I’ve been hearing is their concern about how to move forward under the immense financial burden.”
Oprah explained in her video that she and The Rock were texting back and forth about how they could formulate a plan to help, when they both agreed that Dolly Parton’s generosity was inspiration for their new effort.
According to the post, any Maui resident 18 or older who was displaced in the disaster are eligible to receive $1200 a month to support their living costs as the community rebuilds.
In the release, the “Black Adam” star referenced his own Samoan heritage while acknowledging the spirit of togetherness locals have demonstrated in the face of such a sweeping tragedy.
“As people around the world watched the catastrophic loss and devastation caused by the Maui wildfires, they also witnessed the great spirit and resilience of our Polynesian culture and the tremendous strength of the people of Maui. Even in the most difficult of times, the people of Maui come together, and we rise – that’s what makes us stronger,” he said in a press release.
The Maui fires ignited earlier this month and quickly spread across the island, destroying much of the historic town of Lahaina and leaving at least 115 people dead and hundreds more still missing. As of Aug. 9, the blaze became the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history.