As the devastating bushfires continue to rage in Australia, more and more celebrities have been taking to social media in a bid to garner support and donations for the charities and organisations tackling the blazes.
Australian-born Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban have donated $500,000 to Australia’s Rural Fire Services, as well as putting up a post on Nicole’s Instagram account listing links to all the local state fire services where people can donate. “Our family’s support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia,” read the caption. She also posted a series of images of her and Keith in Australia over the festive period, including a sweet shot of the two of them posing in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Margot Robbie posted a video on Instagram to say she had donated and shared pictures from her childhood, stating she didn’t want to show photos of the devastation but instead wanted her followers to see “how beautiful our country is.” She then included links to several websites that are accepting donations, saying she had donated to them all and urging her fans to do the same to give “future generations the kind of childhood I was so lucky to have.”
Just when we thought we couldn’t love Chris Hemsworth any more, he goes and donates $1 million to bushfire relief charities. The Avengers: Endgame actor made the announcement in a video on his Instagram page. “Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia,” he said. “My family and I are contributing a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too.”
Rebel Wilson made things personal when it came to her donation. The Australian actress teamed up with the Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo event on the Gold Coast to auction off a special lunch, with all of the proceeds going to the bushfire crisis. She raised $100,000 through two separate bids of $50,000 to welcome fans to her Sydney home. “You’ll be the first ones to christen my new dining table,” she quipped at the event.
Australian comedian Celeste Barber has created a fundraiser for the bushfires on Facebook and it has swiftly become the largest ever created on the platform, raising more than $41 million in just four days after going viral. Created in aid of The Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund, all of the money will go to support bushfire relief efforts in Australia. “Every day people are donating $10 here, $10 there, that’s what’s getting us to now $40m,” said Barber, whose family in Sydney have been evacuated. “If the billionaires could flick us their version of $10, which is like a million euro, that would be amazing.”
Selena Gomez, who has visited the country many times, took to Twitter to share her feelings on the fires and urge her fans to donate. “Absolutely devastated by the fires in Australia,” she wrote. “Praying for everyone affected and all of the first responders. I’m making a donation and would love if you would consider doing the same if you can.”
Kylie Minogue also donated $500,000 to the fire fighting efforts, along with the full Minogue family. “Last year I had the incredible opportunity of visiting some of the many beautiful places in my homeland for the first time,” she wrote on Instagram. “Returning home to such devastation throughout much of the country is heartbreaking.”
Pink has long been a fan of Australia and the Aussies love her back – her tours across the country are always sell-outs and have even broken records in the past. She took to social media to pledge her support for the cause. “I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz.”
Here’s how you can help…
If you want to show your support by making a donation, below are links to some of the best places to donate.
How to help firefighters:
Celeste Barber’s fundraising page
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
The Country Fire Service in South Australia
Rural Fire Brigades Association
How to help evacuees:
How to help wildlife:
