Oprah Winfrey Makes Donations and Helps Residents amid 'Overwhelming' Hawaii Wildfires

Oprah Winfrey is lending a helping hand to those affected by the Hawaii wildfires. 

On Thursday, the former talk show host, 69, was filmed handing out supplies at the War Memorial Stadium in Maui, which has been turned into an evacuation center amid the devastating wildfires on the island. 

“It’s a little overwhelming, you know,” Winfrey told the BBC at the stadium, before taking a long pause, appearing to be lost for words. “But I’m really so pleased to have so many people, you know, supporting, and people are just bringing what they can and doing what they can.”

The philanthropist, who is a part-time resident of Maui, continued, “So I came earlier, just to see what people needed, and then went shopping because often you make donations of clothes or whatever, and it's not really what people need. So I actually went to Walmart and Costco and got pillows, shampoo, diapers, sheets, pillowcases.”

Winfrey was filmed unpacking pillows and placing them on residents’ makeshift beds in the evacuation center. She also posed with a number of residents for a picture that was shared on social media. 

"Oprah went to a local shelter to ask first-hand what was most needed," a spokesperson for Oprah later shared with PEOPLE. "She then went to Walmart and Costco to shop for the items and brought them back. It is heart-breaking devastation. She will do more, as it becomes clear which funds can be the most helpful for the short-term and long-term rebuilding."

According to local media outlet Hawaii News Now, Winfrey has been on Maui part-time for over 15 years and owns more than 2,000 acres on the island.

Maui County issued an update on Thursday, indicating that the death toll from the fires has risen to 55 people. Earlier in the day, the county also shared that 80 percent of a fire in Lahaina had been contained, while 70 percent of a fire in Pulehu, near the center of the island, was reported to be contained, with firefighters working to secure the perimeter. A fire in Upcountry Maui was still awaiting assessment.

Winfrey's helping hand to the Aloha State came as Hawaii native Jason Momoa has also been showing his support for residents as the fires continue to burn.

The actor, 44, wrote on Instagram Wednesday, “We are devastated and heartbroken for our friends and ‘ohana [family] on Maui who have been impacted by the recent wildfires,” alongside a series of clips and photos of the devastation on the island. 

In his post, Momoa also reshared a message from the nonprofit ‘Āina Momona, which is raising money for the Hawaii Community Foundation Maui County Strong Fund to support residents.

The Aquaman star, who is a Honolulu native, also urged people to stay safe in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

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"My heart goes out to all those affected by the devastating fires across the Island of Maui. In times like these, we come together as an 'Ohana, a family, to kāko'o and kōkua one another," he said in the statement. "The destruction caused by these fires is heartbreaking, but our community's resilience and strength will shine through."

The statement continued, "I urge everyone to stay safe and heed the advice of local authorities. Let us all do our part to prevent the further spread of the fires and support those on the front lines, working tirelessly to protect our homes and natural treasures."