Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers donates $1 million to California fire victims

James B. Nelson | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is donating $1 million to help Californians recover from the devastating Camp Fire.

Rodgers tweeted a video Wednesday morning and solicited contributions from others.

"All the money goes to a great organization for the immediate needs and the recovery efforts for the #CampFireParadise," he said in the tweet.

Please take a minute to watch this and if you can, take a few seconds to retweet this using the #retweet4good

All the money goes to a great organization for the immediate needs and the recovery efforts for the #CampFireParadise

Thank you 🙏🏻 #ButteStrong #payitforward pic.twitter.com/iQjMbUIHcI — Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) November 21, 2018

RELATED: 3 startling facts about California's Camp Fire

At least 81 people have died and hundreds are reported missing in the fire that has raged north of Sacramento.

The Camp Fire has claimed nearly three times as many lives and structures than any other wildfire in the state's history.

"In northern California where I was born and raised, the city of Paradise burned to the ground and many of the residents who got out are now displaced in my hometown of Chico and across the north state," Rodgers said in the tweet.

Rodgers said he reached out to his friends and the mayor of Chico and was told raising money for immediate needs and long term recovery was needed now.

Rodgers said he was donating $1 million toward the recovery and eventual rebuilding of the communities affected by the fire.

Rodgers also said that State Farm Insurance would donate $1 for every retweet of his post, up to $1 million, toward the recovery effort. As of mid-morning his post had been retweeted nearly 500,000 times.

"Let's help these people begin to heal and to rebuild," Rodgers said.

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