Posted on 08/27/2018 3:05:15 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
The foundation of Houston Texans star JJ Watt on Monday said it has raised $41.6 million for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts, making its crowd-sourced fundraiser the largest in history.
Watt in a statement said the millions of dollars have been used to fix and rebuild more than 600 homes and 420 childhood centers in the Houston area. The funds have also been used to distribute more than 26,000 meals and provide health care to more than 6,500 people.
It has been one year since the category 4 hurricane made landfall at Houston, inflicting $125 billion in damage.
Watt said on Monday he has disseminated the $41.6 million to eight groups involved in rebuilding Texas, including All Hands and Hearts, Americares, Boys & Girls Clubs, Baker Ripley, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children.
"As I reflect on the events of Hurricane Harvey one year ago, the memories of destruction and devastation remain, but they are accompanied by memories of hope, selflessness and the beauty of the human spirit," Watt said in a statement released by the Justin J. Watt Foundation. "I was fortunate enough to witness that generosity first hand, as the fundraiser that I started with a simple goal of $200,000 turned into an unbelievable outpouring of support from people all around the globe."
Watt raised the first $3.7 million within three weeks of the hurricane, according to ESPN.
The football star and activist in the statement added there is still "much work to be done."
"While a great deal has been accomplished in the past 12 months, there is still much work to be done," Watt said. "Moving forward, there will be more of the same, as we continue to work with our incredible nonprofit partners to provide as much help and support as we possibly can for those affected by Harvey."
The hurricane affected multiple locations, including Guyana, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, the Cayman Islands, and the southern and eastern areas of the United States, particularly Texas and Louisiana.
Can you imagine if those NFL Players would only get off their knees and do the same for Chicago and other cities with pain and suffering?
I’m sure all of the kneelers have done just as much for causes they care about. /sarc
“It has been one year since the category 4 hurricane made landfall at Houston...”
Harvey did not make landfall at Houston.
Aside from that, the NFL’s J.J. Watt is a Great American.
JJ Watt is a real hero. I’m so glad the funds he raised didn’t go through a government agency to administer.
“Can you imagine if those NFL Players would only get off their knees and do the same for Chicago and other cities with pain and suffering?”
Not just NFL Players, but every American and fundraising millions of dollars to help American cities is not just the job of NFL Players.
An endowment like this often results in high costs in the bureaucracy.
Every time the money changes hands someone takes a cut.
but every American and fundraising millions of dollars to help American cities is not just the job of NFL Players
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Dude, that is what my taxes are for!
My guess is the J.J. Watt pays more taxes in a year, than most Americans earn in a lifetime.
I didn’t say that is what JJ’s taxes are for.
I said that is what my taxes are for.
End taxing our backs, then I will GLADLY GIVE $$ to all those poor communities.
There is a class act.
Here we go again!
I have a lot of respect for him doing this, and he didn’t just turn over all the spending decisions to some executive or committee; he really does seem as involved as his time allows.
How much did the Great and Wonderful Clinton Foundation raise? /sarc
Hate to rain on the parade, but isn’t Watt a big supporter of the morons protesting the American justice system? Trump asked these guys to give him a list of prisoners who were unjustly treated and all they could do was mumble platitudes.
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