This year, celebrities like Mila Kunis are standing up to support the people of Ukraine as they battle Russia, and now she is being honored for her efforts.
As one of People’s 2022 People of the Year, the Luckiest Girl Alive star joins Quinta Brunson, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Hudson as individuals who are utilizing their positions to take action and inspire good change in the globe.
The GoFundMe was started in March to aid Ukrainian migrants by the actress, who was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher. The aim was to raise at least $30 million while giving $3 million of their own money. The celebrities were able to raise more than $37 million in a short period of time after spreading the word about the cause online. And they keep working. We cannot lose our sensitivity, Kunis told the newspaper. Helping should be the norm rather than begging for it.
The money was given to Airbnb, which is helping to pay for lodging and other costs for people who are hosting refugees, as well as to Flexport, a company that provides aid and supplies to organizations on the ground.
On Twitter, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, expressed gratitude to Kunis and Kutcher for their support. The leader posted a picture of himself in a Zoom meeting with the actor couple at the end of March.
“@aplusk & Mila Kunis were among the first to respond to our grief. They have already raised $35 million & are sending it to @flexport & @Airbnb to help refugees. Grateful for their support. Impressed by their determination. They inspire the world. #StandWithUkraine,” he wrote.
According to a New York Times investigation, since Russian president Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine began in late February, there have been between 15 million and 30 million displaced people in Ukraine and an estimated 40,000 civilian deaths.
