After FEMA issued a statement asking for help with Hurricane Harvey relief, athletes and teams took it upon themselves to provide awareness, resources and funding.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt announced via a video posted to his Twitter and Instagram accounts that he would be leading a fundraising drive. Watt also donated $100,000 and announced that he hoped to raise $500,000 in total, which he was able to do in the first 24 hours of the campaign.
“I’m sitting here watching the news and checking the internet and seeing everything that’s going on with Hurricane Harvey and the damage it’s causing back home,” Watt said in the video. “It’s very difficult. It’s very difficult not only because we have family and friends back there, some guys have young kids, some guys have wives and families. But that’s our city. It’s very tough to watch your city get hit by such a bad storm and not be there to help. Not be there to help with the recovery. Not be there to help with the process. It’s very tough.”
Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander donated $4 million to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund; while Rockets center Clint Capela – who is currently unable to leave his home – has been retweeting calls for help by people in Houston that are in need.
The NFL issued a statement asking for help from Houston: “Our thoughts are with the Houston community during this difficult time and we encourage fans to text Harvey to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief.”
