Hawaii wildfires: Oprah Winfrey, Dwayne Johnson launch Maui recovery fund

Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have launched a recovery fund for those who lost their homes in the wildfires in Maui.

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Johnson and Winfrey announced that they have donated $10 million to get the campaign going, according to CNN.

The fund is called “The People’s Fund of Maui” and the plan is to give $1,200 a month to adults who cannot return to their primary residences due to the wildfires whether it was owned or rented, according to The Associated Press.

“As we have seen firsthand, the impacts of these wildfires have been devastating, and we’re here to ensure with 100% guarantee that your donations will go directly into the hands of Lahaina residents,” Winfrey said in a video post on her Instagram page.

“Every adult resident who lives in the affected area and was displaced by the wildfires in Lahaina and Kula is eligible to receive $1,200 per month to help them through this period of recovery. All you have to do is go to PeoplesFundofMaui.org to apply,” Winfrey continued.

Winfrey and Johnson were inspired by a similar fund that Dolly Parton started following the wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in December 2016 where 2,400 structures were destroyed and 14 people were killed, the AP reported.

The president of the Dollywood Foundation, Jeff Conyers said, according to the AP, that he consulted with Winfrey’s team several times over the last few weeks to share experiences and lessons they learned from managing the fun Parton helped to set up.

“Dolly’s idea was that, ‘Hey, look, these are my people and I want to take care of them and we trust them to know what recovery looks like for themselves and their families in the days and weeks following this immediate catastrophe here,’” Conyers said, according to the AP.

Days after the Maui wildfires, Winfrey, a part-time resident of the island, visited emergency shelters and said she was worried about residents getting the resources that they needed, the AP reported.

To be eligible for the funds, you must be an adult over the age of 18, have a government identification card, and a utility bill with your name on it for a primary residence that was lost in the wildfires, the fund’s website, according to the AP.

More information about the fund or ways you can donate to it can be found on the People’s Fund of Maui’s website.