In response to the devastating wildfires that swept Maui in August, Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey set up the People’s Fund of Maui. The aim of the fund was to provide local survivors with $1,200 a month to assist in recovery. Dwayne and Oprah each donated $5 million to start off the fund, and then publicly asked people to contribute. In my side-eyeing Paris Hilton for vacationing near the disaster site, I seemed to have missed that Dwayne and Oprah themselves received backlash… for starting a fundraiser to help. The criticism they received was for asking people to donate, despite the massive wealth between them. Over the weekend Dwayne posted an Instagram video update about the first round of $1,200 checks going to survivors, and he also took the opportunity to address the flack he and Oprah received during the launch:

“When we first launched the fund, there was some backlash,” Johnson said in a video shared to his Instagram on Sunday. “I get it and I completely understand, and I could’ve been better. And next time I will be better.”

The “Moana” actor acknowledged that he knows “money ain’t falling out of the sky, and it’s not growing on trees, and there’s a lot of people out there who’s living paycheck to paycheck. And I get it, and I know what that’s like.”

Many people criticized Johnson and Winfrey for not contributing more from their own pockets and asking their fans to donate.

“When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you are easily pissed off. It’s frustrating,” Johnson continued in his video on Instagram. “And the last thing you want to hear when you’re living paycheck to paycheck is someone asking you for money — especially when the person asking you for money already has a lot of money. I get it, I understand.”

Johnson’s net worth is estimated at $270 million and Winfrey’s is estimated $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.

“I’ve never launched a fund before, but I’m a quick study and lesson learned,” the “Red Notice” star added.

He also thanked his fans for their honesty in his caption, writing, “I’ll always appreciate and protect that straight talk between us – you have my word to always listen, learn, grow and do better.”

Johnson and Winfrey’s fund is intended to give adults displaced by the wildfires in Lahaina and Kula a monthly stipend of $1,200 to help them during recovery.

In Johnson’s latest post, he said the first round of applicants has started to receive the monthly stipend.

“I’m so grateful and moved by all the messages I’m receiving out of Maui from the survivors of the devastating wildfires who are now getting their personal funding from The People’s Fund of Maui,” he wrote in the caption. “The strength of our people of Maui is beautiful and inspiring. Watching families and community come together after this tragedy is inspirational and I’m proud of our Polynesian people.”

Johnson concluded: “Thank you to everyone who has helped by sending resources, love and prayers to all people affected by the fires and a loving mahalo and RESPECT to our OG cultural leaders, our local community organizations, and all our first responders and every person who came together to help our people.”

[From USA Today]

I don’t usually say this, but in this particular case I’m with the million-billionaires. Between Dwayne and Oprah, they started off the fund with $10 million of their own money. A drop in the bucket for each of them, sure, but I still don’t think they’re the bad guys here. They each routinely donate generously to worthy causes. And they didn’t single out any one group to contribute to the fund, it was a blanket plea that other millionaires were welcome to respond to! That being said, this was a well done move by Dwayne — to acknowledge the parts that didn’t land from the original launch and promise to handle it better next time, all while giving a positive update on money going out to survivors. But overall, I think the intent, context, and track records matter a lot here. I mean, it’s not like Dwayne and Oprah just showed up empty-handed to a refugee center or foodbank for the umpteenth time.

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photos credit: Kevin Mazur for Netflix, Getty and via Instagram