The Material Girl made a substantial donation Tuesday to aid earthquake victims in the mountainous Abruzzo region of Italy, where a 6.3 temblor early yesterday morning left at least 200 people dead and perhaps 50,000 homeless, E! News has confirmed.

Publicist Liz Rosenberg would not reveal the dollar amount of Madonna’s contribution, but it’s been reported to be around $500,000.

The Ciccones, the hitmaker’s paternal grandparents, lived in the village of Pacentro, (which is in the city of L’Aquila, near the earthquake’s epicenter) until 1919. Nearly 33,000 people were killed in the region in a devastating quake in 1915.I am happy to lend a helping hand to the town that my ancestors are from,” Madonna said in a statement. “My heart goes out to the families that have lost loved ones or their homes.”

The pop icon’s benevolent gesture comes after what must have been an especially trying week for her. On Friday, Malawi’s high court denied her bid to adopt

a 3-year-old girl, citing the country’s mandatory residency policy of 18 to 24 months for people looking to adopt.

Madonna’s camp has appealed the ruling.

Madonna has confirmed her attempts to adopt a young Malawian girl and said through a spokeswoman that she is following standard procedures in adopting the child amid criticism by some that she was using her fame to quicken the process.

The 50-year-old pop superstar also confirmed she took her 3-year-old son David, also adopted from Malawi, to visit with his biological father Yohane Banda for the first time since she and David left the country in 2006.

“Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with David’s Malawian roots,” said Liz Rosenberg in a statement Tuesday morning.

The British director is determined the former couple’s sons should stay with him- Rocco, eight, and adopted David, three – but Madonna is adamant they should be with her and her 12-year-old daughter Lourdes – from her previous relationship with fitness trainer Carlos Leon – in New York.

A source close to the couple – who had the first stage of their divorce granted at a London high court in November – is quoted by Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper as saying: “Under the terms of the divorce, it is actually up to Guy and Madonna to sort out the access.”

“It’s not set in stone who has the boys on which days. The agreement is that Guy gets them four or five days a month in London, but that he can see them in New York, making the time anything up to two weeks a month.”

“They are at a total stalemate. Madonna and Guy simply do not liaise at all on anything anymore – it all goes through their personal assistants.”

The couple are also reportedly stuck because Madonna cannot legally take the children to live permanently in the U.S. unless Guy or an English court gives permission.

It has been suggested Guy, 40, may insist Madonna, 50, buys him an apartment in New York as part of a deal to allow the three children to live in the city.

Under the terms of the divorce – which was settled out of court – the pair are believed to have divided their property equally, with Guy taking none of his ex-wife’s estimated $450 million fortune.

In the custody battle, “Miles Away” singer Madonna is being represented by Fiona Shackleton, who has previously represented Sir Paul McCartney and Prince Charles in divorce cases.

Guy has hired top lawyer Helen Ward alongside Stephen Cobb QC, an expert in the international relocation of children.

Another source said: “Both sets of lawyers have still got their heads down. It is very complicated.”

Although it is unlikely the case will go to court, if Madonna does win the right to take Rocco and David to the U.S., there is the prospect of legal hearings in New York.