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It’s been over a week since the devastating wildfires broke out on Maui. The news and pictures coming out of the area are just heartbreaking. Since the fires began, some rich people who own homes on Maui, like Oprah, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, have pledged financial aid for recovery efforts (and I understand that there is a whole other discussion to be had about celebrities owning huge properties in Hawaii). Jose Andres set up a World Central Kitchen site to aid victims and first responders.
Matthew McConaughey and his family have also found a way to help out. They teamed up with a company called Baby2Baby to provide an emergency aid plane filled with supplies including diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, and hygiene products to directly assist children and families on Maui.
Matthew McConaughey and Levi McConaughey are spreading the word about their efforts to help Hawaiians in need.
The father and son took to Instagram in a video Tuesday as news from the devastating wildfires in Maui continues to trickle in, sharing their intent to provide support.
“McConaughey’s are funding an emergency aid plane with @Baby2Baby that is filled with hundreds of thousands more emergency supplies that will have an immediate impact on children and families on Maui,” they captioned the video.
“@Baby2Baby is working with their partners on the ground including @alohadiaperbank @mauifoodbank @hawaiidiaperbank @pacificbirthcollective @mauirapidresponse. Grateful we can help get these critical supplies to children and families who need it. If you would like to support relief efforts, please visit @baby2baby – @jklivinfoundation.”
In the video, the two share their upset at the devastation facing Hawaiians and plan of action for helping out.
“The fires over there have put so many people out of home and have taken so many lives. These people need to stabilize to stay alive. Camila, myself and Levi are working with this organization called Baby2Baby. They are working with partners that are on the ground in Maui right now saying, ‘This is what people need right now. This is what the most needy people need.'”
The actor, 53, continued, “If you’d like to help, check out Baby2Baby. See the work they’re doing or any other way you can help. There’s a lot of help that’s needed.”
Levi, 15, agreed, adding, “Yeah, they’re going to need it for the long-term, so any way you guys can help, it’s appreciated.”
I think it’s really nice that the McConaugheys are putting their money where their mouth is and that they involved Levi as well. I think we all want to teach our children to be good, kind neighbors that help those in need and, in general, pay it forward to this society that we’re all in together. I also like that they were respectful enough to not fly to Maui themselves and make a scene trying to insert themselves into the narrative. Officials are having enough trouble trying to keep entitled reporters under control.
If you or your family were affected by the wildfires, I am so sorry for what you’re going through. My heart is with your community. There are so many people who would like to provide support in whatever way we can. For anyone who is interested in ways that they can help, I asked a friend who is a local journalist in Hawaii (on Ohau) if he had any recommendations on where people who wanted to help could donate to. He recommended the Maui Strong fund from the Hawaii Community Foundation, as well as the Maui Food Bank, Red Cross, or World Central Kitchen.
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