Matthew McConaughey announced Tuesday that he and his family are funding an emergency aid plane to bring supplies to Maui amid the deadly wildfires that swept through the island.
In a video shared to the actor’s and his wife Camila Alves McConaughey’s Instagram pages, he and his son Levi said they partnered with the organization Baby2Baby to fund a plane that is “filled with hundreds of thousands more emergency supplies that will have an immediate impact on children and families on Maui.”
Added in the post’s caption, “Grateful we can help get these critical supplies to children and families who need it.”
Last week, a blaze, fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, swept across the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui — the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in more than a century. The current death toll due to the fire stood at 99 as of Monday, the Associated Press reported, but that number is likely to increase as crews continue to search neighborhoods.
In the video, McConaughey also explained how Baby2Baby is working with partners on the ground in Maui, including Aloha Diaper Bank, Maui Food Bank, Hawaii Diaper Bank, Pacific Birth Collective and Maui Rapid Response to help determine “what people need right now.”
“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,” he said. “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 added, “They’re going to need it for the long-term, so any way you guys can help, it’s appreciated.”
Amid the disaster response, Baby2Baby has been working to provide children’s basic essentials to families impacted by the wildfires. The organization said other celebrities, including Kerry Washington, Olivia Wilde, Ayesha Curry, Zooey Deschanel, Jenna Dewan, Ciara, Meghan Trainor, Kim Kardashian and January Jones, have also shared their support on social media for Baby2Baby’s emergency response in Maui. Find more information on how to donate here.
On Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency also announced that additional support and resources were being sent to the island. The agency is providing temporary housing or financial assistance to those impacted, as well as deploying 300 FEMA employees and 140 search and rescue team members to assist residents.
