Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel and his wife, model and entrepreneur Miranda Kerr, are being recognised for their philanthropic efforts, which include helping erase $550 million in medical debt for more than 261,000 Californians and supporting Los Angeles wildfire survivors.
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which → recognise → survivors
Spiegel, who received an honour at the 8th annual George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards in Washington, D.C., on October 13, says the recognition should also highlight the urgent need for continued assistance to families still struggling to recover from the devastating January 2025 wildfires.
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recognition → receive → wildfires
Evan Spiegel says LA wildfire survivors still need federal assistance
While expressing gratitude for the recognition, Spiegel stressed that many Los Angeles residents are still waiting for the support needed to rebuild their lives after the fires.
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residents → say → fires
“Angelenos are still waiting for federal assistance,” he told PEOPLE.
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he → wait → PEOPLE
“So at a moment when, obviously, I’m grateful to receive this award and obviously grateful for the work we’ve accomplished so far, I think it’s also just really important to reflect on how much more we still have to do.”
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we → ’m → more
Spiegel was among five people recognised for their service and charitable work across the United States.
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Spiegel → recognise → States
Other honourees included David M.
Rubenstein, co-founder of investment firm The Carlyle Group, and Olivia Zhang, founder and CEO of Cancer Kids First.
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honourees → include → First
The Snap CEO said his approach to philanthropy stems from the belief that people are connected and have a responsibility to support one another.
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people → say → one
“What really inspired me is this notion that we’re all interconnected as people, and we have an obligation to reach out and help one another,” Spiegel said.
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Spiegel → inspire → one
Snap CEO recalls childhood home burning in LA wildfires
The January 2025 wildfires had a deeply personal impact on Spiegel.
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wildfires → recall → Spiegel
More than 100 Snap employees were affected by the disaster, and the technology entrepreneur watched on television as his childhood home caught fire.
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home → affect → fire
“My sister was like, ‘Hey, I think dad’s house is burning on TV right now.’
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house → think → TV
I was like, ‘What?’” he recalled.
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he → recall → ?
“And we all gathered around the TV, and sure enough, it was my father’s home.
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it → gather → TV
The house where we started Snapchat was up in flames,” he said, describing the moment as surreal.
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he → start → moment
More than a year later, Spiegel remains concerned about residents who are still unable to rebuild their homes.
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who → remain → homes
According to The Guardian, more than 16,000 structures were destroyed, and thousands of residents were still awaiting more than $15 billion in federal aid by August.
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thousands → accord → August
Through the Department of Angels, a nonprofit supporting people recovering from the 2025 wildfires, Spiegel has helped provide targeted grants and bring survivors’ experiences to the attention of decision-makers at local, state and federal levels.
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Spiegel → support → levels
Evan Spiegel backs long-term health study for wildfire-affected residents
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Spiegel → back → residents
The couple’s philanthropy has also focused on questions surrounding the long-term health effects of the wildfires.
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philanthropy → focus → wildfires
Spiegel said residents wanted clear answers about whether it was safe to return to affected areas and rebuild their homes.
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it → say → homes
“One of the biggest questions we were hearing from our friends and our neighbors was just, ‘Is it safe?’” he said.
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he → hear → friends
“‘Is it safe to return?
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it → return → ?
Is it safe to rebuild?’”
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it → rebuild → ?
The Spiegel Family Fund contributed to the launch of the Los Angeles Fire Human Exposure and Long-Term Health Study, which aims to examine both the immediate and longer-term health consequences of exposure to the fires.
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which → contribute → fires
“Over the next decade, we’re really going to be understanding not only the short-term impacts, whether it’s safe to return, but longer term - what are the health impacts?” Spiegel said, adding that the research could prove valuable as communities across the United States confront urban wildfires.
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communities → go → wildfires
Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel help clear $550 million in medical debt
In June, Spiegel and Kerr announced that they were helping eliminate $550 million in medical debt owed by more than 261,000 Californians, The Los Angeles Times reported.
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Times → help → Californians
Kerr explained that the initiative was intended to ease the financial burden on families dealing with illness and allow them to focus on their loved ones' recovery.
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them → explain → recovery
“When someone you love is sick.
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you → love → ?
All you want to do is focus on helping them get better,” she told the newspaper.
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she → want → newspaper
“That’s why we wanted to support this effort and help relieve medical debt, so families can focus on caring for their loved ones and really supporting their healing.”
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families → ’ → healing
Spiegel said the couple had received heartfelt letters from people affected by the initiative.
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couple → say → initiative
One interaction at Snap's headquarters particularly stayed with him: a staff member working in the company cafeteria told him she had translated a letter for her Spanish-speaking mother.
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she → stay → mother
The woman explained that her mother had been moved by the experience and told her, “Mom, I worked there.”
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I → explain → her
Spiegel said the encounter helped him understand the personal impact of the initiative.
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him → say → initiative
How Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr involve their children in charity
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Spiegel → involve → charity
Beyond large-scale donations, Spiegel and Kerr try to make giving back a part of everyday family life.
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giving → try → life
The couple, who married in 2017, have three sons together - Hart, Myles and Pierre - while Kerr also shares her eldest son, Flynn, with her former husband, actor Orlando Bloom.
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Kerr → marry → husband
Spiegel described balancing his work, charitable commitments through the Spiegel Family Fund and Snap Foundation, and raising four boys as a constant “juggle”.
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Spiegel → describe → juggle
However, he and Kerr make an effort to involve their children in activities that benefit others.
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that → make → others
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
