Ellen DeGeneres launches Australia GoFundMe with $5 million goal; other celebs join effort
Ellen DeGeneres is raising donations amid devastating wildfires ravaging Australia.
The 61-year-old television host announced on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Tuesday that she created an Australia Bushfire Relief GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising $5 million to help the firefighters, people and animals of the Land Down Under.
"I love Australia. I love Australia so much, I even married an Australian," said DeGeneres, referring to wife Portia de Rossi, 46. "Right now, Australia needs our help. Wildfires have been burning for four months and with record-breaking heat."
She continued: "Thousands of people have been displaced. Homes have been burned, lives have been lost. Nearly half a billion animals have been killed."
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The bushfires, which have been burning since September, have killed at least 25 people, destroyed 2,000 homes and killed an estimated 500 million animals. In all, about 15 million acres have burned across the country – an area roughly the size of West Virginia.
As of Thursday, the comedian has raised more than $1.1 million toward relief efforts, including a $100,000 donation from Shutterfly, a $250,000 donation from United Airlines, and a $50,000 donation from Starbucks, DeGeneres announced.
Celebs rally: Chris Hemsworth, Elton John donate $1M to fight Australia's wildfires
"My viewers are amazing! You’ve given over $1 million in donations to help Australia," she tweeted Thursday.
All donations raised by DeGeneres' campaign will go toward "Australian Red Cross, a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Australia, and WIRES, Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organization," according to the GoFundMe.
Here's how you can help: Australia's devastating fires are still burning
DeGeneres is one of many celebrities to lend a helping hand to fight against the destruction. Australian stars (Chris Hemsworth, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie) and non-Australian stars (Pink, Elton John, Kim Kardashian West, Khloe Kardashian) alike took to social media to pledge money and encourage others to do the same.
Another recent contributor is Leonardo DiCaprio, whose Earth Alliance environmental organization will donate $3 million to help wildfire relief efforts.
The foundation said Thursday that it has started the Australia Wildfire Fund to help with an “international response to the catastrophic bushfires” currently raging in the country.
"Real Housewives of New York City" alum Bethenny Frankel took it a step further and plans to send firefighting supplies, along with dozens of firefighters, to Australia to assist with containment through her disaster relief initiative, BStrong.
Frankel pledged to "send planes with firefighters until fires are contained" and amass "fire gear from various fire departments in the US…to equip volunteer firefighters for the entire fire season, which continues for another 3 months in Australia," according to her website.
And Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental organization is donating $3 million to help relief efforts.
DiCaprio's Earth Alliance said Thursday that the organization has created the Australia Wildfire Fund to help with an “international response to the catastrophic bushfires.”
The fund will work with local Australian partner organizations including Aussie Ark, Bush Heritage and Wires Wildlife Rescue to assist firefighting efforts in New South Wales and aid other communities.
"Fleabag" star Phoebe Waller-Bridge is auctioning off the Ralph & Russo tuxedo she wore to the Golden Globes Sunday on eBay to raise money toward relief efforts. Bidding for the Chantilly lace tuxedo by the Australian designers is starting at $54,000.
Contributing: Grace Hauck; The Associated Press
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