Alo criticized for offering Heidi Montag $1,000 gift card after LA wildfires destroy her home

Popular fitness brand Alo has come under fire after offering Heidi Montag a gift card worth over $1,000 to help her rebuild her wardrobe following the devastating fires that destroyed her $2M home in Pacific Palisades.

The 38-year-old reality star and her husband, Spencer Pratt, were forced to evacuate their home with their two sons last week as the fires ravaged through the exclusive celebrity enclave. The couple, best known for their roles in The Hills, has shared images of their completely destroyed property, leaving them with only the items they managed to carry while evacuating.

While Heidi has expressed gratitude for the support she's received from brands like Alo, the gesture has sparked a heated debate among fans. Some criticized the company for focusing their efforts on a celebrity rather than offering help to the everyday people also affected by the fires.

Taking to Reddit, one fan wrote, "Everyone going wild praising Alo for giving Heidi Montag over $1,000 gift card after losing her Alo clothes to the fire, but what about maybe helping some non-public figures out?" 

The user continued, "I don't know, to me it feels a bit dystopian seeing influencers/celebrities being given the opportunity to go back into their little luxury clothing stores to repurchase what they lost."

The comment sparked widespread debate, with many agreeing that the attention given to celebrities seemed out of proportion, especially when compared to the support extended to the non-famous victims of the disaster. 

"Some people (celebs) will have an easier time dealing with this. Brands will reach out to them and gift them a bunch of stuff, but everyone else (regular folk) will be left in the dust," one Reddit user noted.

Others pointed out that Alo's efforts could be a strategic promotional move, with one fan stating, "They're obviously using her tragedy to promote themselves. It's basically a cheap advertisement."

On the other hand, some defended the brand’s actions, emphasizing that Alo’s generosity should not be discounted simply because Montag is a celebrity. "I don't know, I'll allow this lol," said one commenter. "They lost their home, their parents lost their home. They have kids and I don't think Spencer and Heidi are even that rich (outside of their home equity)."

Alo responded publicly to the fires' devastation with a statement expressing solidarity with the Los Angeles community. "As many Alo employees have been impacted by the wildfires, we are doing everything we can to support our team members and their families as they navigate evacuations and unimaginable personal losses," the brand shared in an Instagram post.