In August, the Hawaiian island of Maui was engulfed in a deadly wildfire, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The fires, which led to the loss of 115 lives and the destruction or damage of thousands of structures, painted a grim picture of devastation and despair on the island, as reported by CNN.
Fast forward to September 3rd, and there is some respite on the horizon. The fire in Lahaina has been successfully contained, while the fires in Olinda and Kula are now at 90% and 95% containment, respectively, according to an official statement from the County of Maui.
On August 31st, Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey took to Instagram to make a joint announcement regarding the establishment of the “People’s Fund of Maui.” They expressed their inspiration from the philanthropic efforts of Dolly Parton and their belief that people were looking for a trustworthy avenue to assist Maui residents. The fund, they explained, was designed to allow people to contribute, with the assurance that their donations would directly benefit those in need.
In a detailed caption accompanying the video, it was revealed that every adult resident displaced by the wildfires in Lahaina and Kula would be eligible to receive $1,200 per month to aid them in their journey towards recovery. A link was provided for those directly impacted to apply for these funds.
“We are honored to start this campaign with $10 million and ask for your help in donating to those who have lost their homes. We thank you in advance for your contribution,” one section of the caption read.
However, the post ignited a firestorm of comments, with over 60,000 responses, many of which conveyed discontent with the idea of wealthy celebrities appealing to regular, hardworking individuals for additional funds. One comment with over 10,000 likes succinctly captured the sentiment, stating, “Math ain’t mathing with this one. You guys literally have so much money… You can donate it and make it back within a year.”
The video was also shared on TikTok, featuring a donation button for direct contributions. Oprah Winfrey’s upload garnered 834,000 views but only 11,000 likes, a striking discrepancy for a video with such high viewership. The comment section was again flooded with expressions of support for Maui’s cause coupled with questions about why ordinary people, often living paycheck to paycheck, were being asked to contribute.
Dwayne Johnson’s TikTok post, with 1.4 million views, faced similar criticism in the comments section, as users urged the celebrities to dig deeper into their own substantial pockets or reach out to their fellow millionaire and celebrity acquaintances for support, instead of turning to regular individuals who might be grappling with financial difficulties.
According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey boasts a staggering net worth of $2.5 billion and owns a minimum of 13 properties on the Hawaiian islands. Dwayne Johnson, acclaimed as the world’s highest-paid actor, holds a net worth of $270 million, as per the same source.
On September 2nd, Oprah Winfrey followed up with another video on Instagram, along with an extensive caption where she expressed gratitude towards the “10,000 people who have personally donated.” She also mentioned that thousands of wildfire-affected individuals had signed up for assistance, and efforts were underway to verify their claims and expedite the distribution of funds.
As of now, neither Oprah Winfrey nor Dwayne Johnson has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding their fundraising efforts.
