Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson have committed $10 million to make direct payments to people on Maui who are unable to return to their homes because of the wildfires, through a new fund they announced this week. The People's Fund of Maui will give $1,200 a month to adults who aren't able to return to their primary residences due to the recent wildfires, including people who owned and rented their homes, according to the fund's website. The fund will also seek donations to extend the length of time it can provide the support, per the AP.
They are looking forward to the help of "every person who called me and said, 'What can I do?'" Winfrey said in a video with their announcement. "This is what you can do." The pair were inspired by a similar fund set up by Dolly Parton after wildfires swept through Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 2016, killing 14 people and destroying 2,400 structures. Jeff Conyers, president of the Dollywood Foundation, said he consulted with Winfrey's team multiple times in the past weeks to share lessons they'd learned from administrating the fund, which eventually granted $11 million to families who'd lost their homes.
Winfrey, who lives on Maui part time, visited an emergency shelter on Maui in the days after the wildfire hit and worried about effectively getting resources to residents. Johnson spent part of his youth in the state. The Entertainment Industry Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that helps celebrities administer their charitable work, is sponsoring the fund. Johnson and Winfrey said they hope it will continue to make transfers to qualifying residents for at least six months, but Winfrey said it would be up to the American public to determine how long the fund extends, based on their support and donations.
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