After Mandy Moore’s in-laws “lost their home and everything they own” to the Eaton Fire — weeks away from welcoming their first child — she was inundated with backlash for sharing a GoFundMe organized by Hilary Duff’s husband Matthew Koma.
As everyone starts to rally around the victims of the devastating wildfires ripping throughout Southern California, Mandy Moore issued a strong message to anyone questioning her for trying to raise money for her in-laws: “Kindly F OFF.”
The This Is Us star and her own family — including musician husband Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and their three children — were affected by the fires in Altadena, which left her house “not livable” and both her garage and Taylor’s studio in ruins. The blaze also decimated the homes of her neighbors and loved ones, including Taylor’s brother, Griffin Goldmith, and his pregnant wife Kit.
On Thursday, musician Matthew Koma — who also happens to be Hilary Duff’s husband — started a GoFundMe for Griffin and Kit, who are expecting their first child together in just weeks.
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Moore then shared the fundraiser to her own Instagram page.
“Yesterday, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law Griff & Kit lost their home and everything they own in the Eaton Fire. With their first baby on the way in a matter of weeks, they need our support now more than ever,” she wrote. “Griff is a touring musician and also lost his entire arsenal of drums/percussion he uses to make a living. It’s all so much. So many have asked how to help during this unimaginable and stressful time … Please consider donating and sharing to help them rebuild.”
She later had to amend her caption, however, after being inundated with remarks from her followers wondering whether she and her family were also donating to them.
“And people questioning whether we’re helping out our own family or attributing some arbitrary amount of money google says someone has is NOT helpful or empathetic. Of course we are,” she wrote in her update.
“Our buddy Matt started this go fund me and i’m sharing because people have asked how they can help them. We just lost most of our life in a fire too,” she added. “Kindly F OFF. no one is forcing you to do anything.”
She has since turned off commenting on the post.
The GoFundMe, meanwhile, has reached its goal, while Moore has started sharing fundraisers for families who also lost their homes to her Instagram Story.
Griffin and Kit, meanwhile, appeared on CNN earlier today — where Kit became overcome with emotion thinking about the loss of their home and their community as a whole as she prepares to give birth.