Milana Vayntrub has raised more than $500,000 for victims of the Los Angeles-area wildfires through a new charity initiative that has quickly gone viral online.
The actor and activist confirmed this week that her fundraiser, called Only Philanthropy, surpassed the half-million-dollar mark by early December. The project, widely reported by outlets including The New York Post, employs a tongue-in-cheek model inspired by subscription platforms. Fans donate money in exchange for exclusive, “playful and tastefully risqué” photos of Vayntrub, with all proceeds directed to wildfire relief.
The campaign gained renewed traction after a short video circulated on X showing Vayntrub revisiting her familiar AT&T spokesperson role, “Lily,” in a montage celebrating the fundraiser’s momentum. Overlaid text highlights that more than $350,000 was raised in a single week, while the clip is set to R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix),” leaning into nostalgia as part of its promotional appeal. The post quickly drew hundreds of thousands of views.
https://twitter.com/dom_lucre/status/1999542667189825580?s=20
The effort follows destructive wildfires that swept through parts of Los Angeles County in January, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which burned tens of thousands of acres and displaced thousands of residents. Many survivors—particularly elderly, disabled, and underinsured residents—have struggled to access long-term aid.
Vayntrub’s first Only Philanthropy campaign focused on supporting a single family impacted by the Eaton Fire, raising $170,000 in four days to help cover housing and medical needs. A second, larger campaign later in the year, partnering with the Altadena nonprofit My Tribe Rise, raised $350,000 in one week to provide direct grants to multiple families rebuilding after the fires.
By Dec. 8, Vayntrub announced on Instagram that total donations had surpassed $500,000, calling the initiative “the best thing I’ve ever been part of” and encouraging followers to suggest future causes.
The fundraiser has also sparked conversation online, with some social media users pointing to Vayntrub’s past comments about online sexual harassment tied to her AT&T commercials during 2020 and 2021. At the time, she spoke publicly about objectifying comments and altered images circulating without her consent.
Supporters counter that the fundraiser represents a shift in control, noting that the content is non-nude, shared privately with donors, and used specifically to generate aid for people affected by the fires.
Vayntrub, who is also known for roles on This Is Us and voice work in Marvel projects, has said she plans to expand Only Philanthropy in the future, potentially involving other creators and supporting causes ranging from housing insecurity to climate resilience.
As the wildfire recovery continues, the campaign has emerged as one of the more unconventional—and effective—fundraising efforts tied to the disaster, demonstrating how pop culture familiarity and online engagement can translate into rapid, real-world impact.
