‘Overwhelmed’ Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher exceed $30-million goal for Ukraine relief
Actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are “overwhelmed with gratitude†to those who donated to their GoFundMe campaign for Ukraine relief.
The “That ‘70s Show†co-stars thanked donors Thursday in a video update announcing that they had exceeded their $30-million goal benefitting victims of the Russian invasion of the former Soviet nation that began on Feb. 24.
“We hit our goal!†Kunis said in the video. “Over 65,000 of you donated. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the support. And while this is far from a solve to the problem, our collective effort will provide a softer landing for so many people as they forge ahead into their future of uncertainty.â€
“Our work is not done,†Kutcher added. “We’re going to do everything we can to ensure that the outpouring of love that came from you all as a part of this campaign finds a maximum impact with those in need.
“As funding continues to come in, we’re going to treat every dollar as if it’s being donated out of our pocket: With respect and honor for the work that went into earning it, with the intent of love through which it was given and the desire for it to be maximized for positive outcome for others.â€
Kunis, who was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and whose family immigrated to the United States in 1991 — and her husband launched the Stand With Ukraine fundraiser on March 3 with plans to match up to $3 million in donations. They deplored Russia’s “unjust attack†on the European nation and “humanity at large.†She said at the time that their philanthropic work is meant to make “an immediate impact on refugee and humanitarian aid efforts.â€
“We again want to say thank you so much for your continued support,†the “Bad Moms†and “Family Guy†star added Thursday. “Please don’t stop donating, whether to us or other unbelievable foundations out there. This is just the beginning to a very, very long journey.â€
Celebrity couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help Ukrainians aiming to raise $30 million and match it up to $3 million.
The celebrity couple partnered with global logistics experts Flexport.org to organize shipments of relief supplies to refugee sites in Ukraine’s neighboring countries Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova. They also tapped vacation rental company Airbnb, in which Kutcher was an early investor, to provide free, short-term housing to Ukrainian refugees.
The ongoing crisis, now in its 23rd day, has displaced more than 3 million people from Ukraine. And the United Nations has counted at least 726 people killed — 52 of them children — since the invasion started. (U.N. officials acknowledge that the real number is likely far higher.)
By Friday morning, about 68,000 donors had contributed to the couple’s cause. Top donors — as listed on the fundraiser page — were Oracle Corp. co-founder Larry Ellison, who donated $5 million, and the family of venture capitalist Ron Conway, which gave $2.5 million.
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