Millionaire Opens Mansion to Foster Kids Affected by Hurricane Irma

Zara Hanawalt
·2 min read
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma

sarlawright0602/FOAP

Marc Bell, businessman and ex-owner of Penthouse magazine, is doing something amazing for foster kids whose lives were touched by Hurricane Irma: He and his wife, Jennifer, have taken in over 70 children who found themselves with nowhere to go.

The couple is allowing children who were forced out of emergency shelters into their Boca-Raton mansion—they chose to do so after receiving a call from the SOS Children's Villages Florida indicating that children had been evicted from shelters and were stuck with nowhere to go, according to the New York Post.

Bell started a Go Fund Me page encouraging others to help these children as well.

"I got a call at noon from the head of SOS Children's Village saying they were being [evicted] from their shelter and had no place to go," Bell wrote. "They were tired after being there 5 days, hungry, no showers and no electricity at their home. They asked for help, so Jenn and I said come over and stay as long as you need to while you fix your homes up for the kids to move back. We now have 70+ more kids living with us. Everyone is being so gracious asking to help and we need it. We need bodies to help the kids. We also need money to get their homes habitable again. Jenn and I are doing our part. Please help us by helping them."

Bell shared a live video of the children at his home—and it looks like they're having quite the party! These are kids who have been through something unspeakably difficult, and we love that this magnanimous couple is doing so much to ensure they have some fun in the wake of the disaster.

“Today, we had manicures for the little girls,” Bell told Fortune. “We got Bobby the balloon guy coming later to entertain them. Yesterday during dinner, we had a singer come who plays guitar and sang songs with them.”

While Bell and his wife are not sure how long they'll house these children, they could definitely use some help. We love what this couple is doing and hope you'll consider supporting their mission!