Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson have donated $10 million to launch the People’s Fund of Maui, a relief program created to provide direct financial support to adults affected by the devastating August 2023 wildfires in Hawaii.
The initiative aims to help displaced residents pay for essential needs while they recover from the disaster.
Announced in August 2023, the fund was established to put money directly into the hands of people whose lives were disrupted by the fires. Eligible adults who lived in the affected areas of Lahaina and Kula and were displaced by the wildfires were set to receive $1,200 per month.
Winfrey and Johnson launched the program with their own initial contribution of $10 million. They also invited the public to donate, with the goal of providing more financial help to families and individuals facing the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.
pic.twitter.com/J7In6Svam6Oprah Winfrey just explained how her and Dwayne, ‘The Rock’ Johnson used their $5 million dollars to startup the People’s Fund of Maui instead of donating the $10 million Oprah stated:“The infrastructure is in place for your donations to help people be…
— Thrilla the Gorilla (@ThrillaRilla369) March 18, 2024“Every dollar that you send is going to go into an account that goes directly to the people,” Winfrey said, according to CBS News.
The initiative came as Maui faced the effects of one of Hawaii’s most devastating disasters. The fires killed at least 115 people, according to reports at the time, while many others were still missing or unaccounted for.
Thousands of residents were displaced, and homes, businesses, and historic sites suffered severe damage.
The People’s Fund of Maui was created to help residents deal with the financial pressure that followed the wildfires. Instead of focusing only on general relief efforts, the program was designed to provide direct cash assistance to people affected by the disaster.
According to the announcement, eligible adults displaced by the fires in Lahaina and Kula could apply to receive $1,200 per month. The payments were intended to help residents manage basic expenses as they worked toward recovery.
For many families, losing a home also meant losing everyday belongings, a sense of security, and, in some cases, the ability to earn a living. Direct financial support can give survivors more freedom to decide which needs require attention first.
Winfrey said she had spent time meeting people in the community and asking what kind of help they needed most.
“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,” Winfrey said in a statement, per People.
She also explained that money was a major concern for residents trying to plan their next steps.
“The main thing I’ve been hearing is their concern about how to move forward under the immense financial burden.”
Winfrey added that her goal was to help affected residents decide what rebuilding would look like for them. Her involvement also reflected her long-standing connection to Maui, where she has lived for many years.
Johnson also spoke about the destruction caused by the wildfires and the strength shown by Maui residents during the crisis.
“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,” Johnson said.
The actor, who spent part of his childhood in Hawaii and is of Samoan descent, said he and Winfrey were grateful to work with community leaders to establish the fund.
“These leaders are offering their guidance to ensure our fund can put money directly in the hands of those individuals most affected,” he said.
Johnson also thanked first responders, local groups and individuals who worked to help residents during the emergency. He encouraged people who wanted to help to offer support and resources to displaced members of the community.
Related: George Clooney slept on friends’ couches when broke; in 2013 he gave 14 of them a million dollars each in cash at a dinner
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