The talk show host revealed that she had gone and gotten supplies based on what people needed following the deadly wildfires in Hawaii.
Oprah Winfrey was seen trying to help Hawaiians in need following the wildfires in Maui on Friday, August 11. The talk show host, 69, was interviewed by the BBC as she handed out supplies to people who had been displaced as a result of the fires. While she admitted that the scene was “overwhelming,” she did praise others making donations and doing all they could to help the Hawaiians affected by the disaster.
WATCH: Visibly lost for words, Maui resident @Oprah hands out supplies at an evacuation centre amid wildfires, telling @matzamax:
“It's overwhelming… but I’m really pleased to have so many people supporting… bringing what they can and doing what they can.”
“I came earlier…
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) August 11, 2023
When asked about her feelings about what she’d seen at the Maui Rescue Center, Oprah appeared to get emotional but admitted that she was glad that people were doing their best to help. “I’m really so pleased to have so many people supporting, and people are just bringing what they can and donating what they can,” she said.
In the video, she was seen handing out pillows and placing new supplies on cots in the rescue center. Oprah revealed that she had taken an assessment of what was needed before making donations. “So, I came earlier just to see what people needed and then went shopping, because often, you make donations of clothes or whatever, and it’s not really what people need. I actually went to Walmart and Costco and got pillows, shampoo, diapers, sheets, [and] pillowcases,” she said.
Oprah has been incredibly charitable throughout her career and has continually done her best to help those in need through her philanthropic efforts. She’s been providing aid to charitable organizations around the world for over a decade through the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, which she established in 2010.
Oprah’s time helping in Maui comes weeks after she had taken a vacation in Italy. During her getaway, the media mogul was spotted stepping out to dinner on the Amalfi Coast at the end of July. She was also seen grabbing lunch with her longtime best friend Gayle King in Portofino near the end of her trip.
How You Can Help: The Hawai’i Community Foundation is accepting donations through its Maui Strong Fund. To donate, visit the fund’s website. Additionally, Maui Food Bank provides “safe and nutritious food” to anyone in Maui County who is at risk of going hungry, the organization says. To donate, visit the food bank’s website.
