Maui recently experienced catastrophic loss caused by wildfires, leaving thousands displaced and in dire need of support. Jessica Stam, who is a resident of the island, WME Fashion partnered with Stam to host an event at Spring Place to benefit the People’s Fund of Maui.
Stam partnered with the organization, which accepts monetary and product donations to provide relief to those who have been impacted by the Maui wildfires.
We spoke with John Thomas, a member of the Endeavor (A parent company of industry leaders, including entertainment agency WME and sports, fashion, events and media company, IMG) team who shared more about the importance of agencies like these in crises such as this one, “we support our clients, but support goes past just the runway, it leans into the causes they represent and what they are about and that’s exactly why we’re here today.”
The devastation across Maui ripped across the island and natural landscape, leaving residents with nothing. The People’s Fund of Maui, started by Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson, in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation is unique as they are delivering money directly to the people in Maui. Thus, enabling people to have agency around how their recovery will look like.
With all admin fees covered by Johnson and Oprah, it makes it easier for the foundation to carry out it’s promise in delivering funds directly to those in need. Every adult resident who lives in the affected area or who was displaced by the wildfire will receive $1200 per month to help them get through recovery. However, this is until funds last, so there will be more donation driven events, as the aftermath and time it takes for people to rebuild their lives, will inevitably take longer than the news cycle.
Jessica Stam and team hope that the money raised will help those displaced by the fires. They urge everyone to treat the people of Maui the way they have treated their residents and non-residents alike – as their Ohana.
People’s stories and circumstances don’t change, even after the stories we read and hear on the news do. Schools are still burned down, homes still cease to exist and the resilient people of Maui continue to fight to rebuild their lives.
Check out the link to donate and learn more about the fund, here.
