Million dollar men: Elton John and Chris Hemsworth's huge bushfire pledges
Celebrities are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to donating to bushfire relief that’s ravaging Australia.
Elton John received a standing ovation at his concert as he pledged to donate $1 million for Australia’s bushfire relief efforts.
“There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes. There are people who have lost their lives and their homes,” he said to the crowd.
“And lastly there’s the plight of the animals. A loss of their habitat that frankly is on a biblical scale, and heart-breaking. Therefore, tonight I will be pledging one million dollars to support the bushfire relief fund.”
He matched Marvel star Chris Hemsworth donation of $1 million, as Hemsworth encouraged his 38.9 million followers on Instagram to dig deep and help in any way that they can.
“We’re still in the thick of it here with plenty of challenging times ahead and still to come. So, what we need is your support and your donations,” the father of three said in a video.
Kylie Minogue made headlines for donating $500,000 to the bushfire relief and said that the devastation in Australia is “heartbreaking”.
“As a family, we’ve donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“Big or small, from near or far, any support will help those affected by the devastating bushfires.”
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were one of the first celebrities to donate to bushfire relief, as they donated $500,000 after spending Christmas in Sydney with their daughters.
Aussie favourite Pink also donated $500,000 “directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines.”
The singer wrote she is “totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz”.
However, the campaign that has caught the most attention is run by comedian Celeste Barber, as her campaign has currently raised $45 million for the Trustee for the NSW Rural Fire Service and Brigades Donation Fund.
The fund is managed by a group of trustees, according to SBS, who have significant experience with the NSW RFS.
"The purpose of the trust is to make available to brigades the ability to accept tax-deductible donations, both in person and online, with as little administrative burden as possible," its most recent annual report says.
"It was established and is operated solely for the purpose of supporting the volunteer-based fire and emergency service activities of the brigades."
The NSW RFS said that they are focusing on the ongoing bush fire emergency before even thinking about spending the money. They said in a statement to SBS:
"The NSW RFS is focused on the ongoing bush fire emergency that continues to affect communities across NSW. We are continuing work to slow the spread of fires, establish containment lines, conduct building impact assessments and return residents to their communities as soon as possible," a spokesperson said.
"It's important that our members, who know what's best for their brigades and communities, have a say in the use of donated funds."
"Once the bush fire emergency eases, the NSW RFS will work with senior volunteers and brigades to ensure donated funds are used for the greatest benefit of our members and their communities."
OverSixty, its parent company and its owners are donating a total of $200,000 to the Vinnie’s Bushfire Appeal. We have also pledged an additional $100,000 of product to help all those affected by the bushfire crisis. We would love you to support too! Head to the Vinnie's website to donate!