J.J. Watt's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund Surpassed $4 Million
J.J. Watt launched an online relief fund for Hurricane Harvey victims on Sunday with an initial goal of raising $200,000. Incredibly, the fund has raised more than $4 million and is still growing.
The fund has been buoyed by big donations from some big names in the world of sports. Chris Paul donated $50,000, Watt donated $100,000 of his own money and Tennessee Titans owner and Houston native Amy Adams Strunk donated $1 million on behalf of the Titans organization.
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The fund quickly surpassed its initial goal as well as each subsequent goal Watt has set.
"Really can't even put into words a thank you for the Tennessee Titans organization," Watt said. "Ms. Amy Adams Strunk—a $1 million donation. That's from a team in our division, one of our rivals, but stepping up for the greater good of the people. I cannot thank you enough."
Watt has stated that he will do everything in his power to ensure that the money goes directly to the people rather than to covering administrative costs.
"There's really not a lot of words that can describe what he's done," Texans coach Bill O'Brien told reporters. "And that thing that's really pretty neat about him is he's adamant about that money going towards the people that need it. And I think he's got a lot of great ideas for that money and I think he's actually putting it into action right now," he said.
Watt isn't the only Houston-area sports figure to spearhead a remarkable donation to Harvey victims. Texans owner Bob McNair donated $1 million to the United Way of Greater Houston Flood relief, a donation the NFL said it would match. Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander is donating $10 million to the relief efforts, and the Astros are giving a total of $4 million.
The Texans, who have not been able to return to Houston and thus have been practicing in Dallas, play the Cowboys on Thursday night in both teams' preseason finales. That game has been flexed to NFL Network and profits from the game will go toward Hurricane Harvey relief.
