"A little PR before building begins on the stolen land": Oprah and The Rock spark backlash with $10 million donation to Maui wildfire relief

Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson have recently made significant contributions to those affected by the Maui wildfires. As such, the duo have established a fund to provide direct financial aid to the people of the region who have been affected by the devastating wildfires that have burned hundreds of homes on the island.

The announcement was made on Thursday, August 31, with Winfrey and Johnson revealing the establishment of the People's Fund for the people of the affected area, which they will start with an initial $10 million commitment. In a post on X as well as Instagram, The Rock announced the same and he also encouraged others to follow their suit.

According to the official announcement, the fund will:

"Distribute cash directly to those who were displaced and affected by the fire," and "all net proceeds" from donations "will go to those directly impacted in Maui".

The Rock further mentioned that one of the fund's features is that any impacted adult in Lahaina and Kula areas will be eligible for a significant amount per month while recovering from the catastrophe.

However, netizens didn't think this was a good idea. They took to X and in the comment section of the post uploaded by @dom_lucre’s to criticize this move. User @KrrankyPants even thought it was a PR stunt.

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The Rock and Oprah’s recent raise fund for people affected by Maui wildfires faced backlash from netizens as they write how they don't "trust" the move

Wildfires swept over the Hawaiian island of Maui earlier in August, killing over 115 people and left many others missing or displaced. As many people have come together to raise funds for those in need, several celebrities have also started funds with the aim to help those affected by the Maui wildfires.

As mentioned above, WWE icon and Hollywood actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and longtime talk show host, author, and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey announced the establishment of the People's Fund of Maui to aid those affected by the recent wildfires. The fund will supposedly offer $1,200 per month to adults who are unable to return to their primary residences due to the recent wildfires.

The two celebrities both took to their official X and Instagram pages to announce the news. Winfrey added in the video uploaded on the sites:

“People being able to have their own agency, being able to make decisions for themselves about what they need and what their family needs — that’s our goal".

Furthermore, she promised that the donation will go directly to the victims. On the other hand, Johnson said in a statement to New York Times on August 31 that:

"The fund aims to put money directly in the hands of those individuals most affected".

Both Rock and Oprah have family links to Hawaii. The Rock was born in Hayward, California, in 1972, and moved a lot due to the lifestyle of his father, Rocky Johnson, a WWE Hall of Fame pro wrestler. He spent a lot of time in Hawaii, not only because of his father's obligations but also because his mother's family established and managed the NWA Polynesian Pro Wrestling business there.

Meanwhile, Oprah also has ties to Hawaii, having acquired a substantial amount of property in Maui throughout the years. She reportedly sometimes lives in Maui as well.

However, the announcement by the two celebrities has sparked backlash among the social media users, who took to X and went under the comment section of @dom_lucre’s post to criticize this move. Some wrote how they don't trust the two stars as they made their promises, while others commented that move means that they have "decided to take your land."

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This is not the only time Hollywood superstars did something like this. Dolly Parton also established a similar fund after wildfires raced through Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in December 2016. The fire killed 14 people and destroyed 2,400 houses.

According to Blue Ridge Public Radio, the My People's Fund, which Parton created, provided $1000 a month for six months to approximately 900 families affected by the fire, regardless of their income. However, the foundation got so many donations that the amount was eventually raised to $5,000 in the final month. As such, it was successful in donating a total amount of $12.5 million to the citizens of the affected area.