Aaron Rodgers Donates $1 Million to Relief, Recovery Efforts for Communities Affected by Camp Fire
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is donating $1 million to help with the immediate needs and recovery efforts as the Paradise region continues to fight the Camp Fire in Northern California.
"I personally reached out to my friends and the mayor of Chico to find out how to be of the most help and raising money for both immediate needs and the longterm recovery is what's needed most right now," Rodgers said. "This is why I'm partnering with the North Valley Community Foundation and donating $1 million to help with recovery and eventual rebuild of these communities."
State Farm will donate $1, up to $1 million, for every retweet of Rodgers' video. Wearing a "Butte Strong" sweatshirt, the California native encouraged his fans and followers to share the video in an effort to spread awareness and help raise money for recovery in Butte County.
Green Bay announced Wednesday afternoon that the Packers organization would join their star QB by donating $250,000 to Rodgers' NorCal Fire Recovery Fund to support the victims of the Camp Fire.
“We are proud to join Aaron in donating to his relief effort for the many people and communities impacted by the devastating wildfires in his home state of California,” Packers President Mark Murphy said. “He has very deep roots in Northern California. Our thoughts are with all of those impacted, as well as the first responders, and we send our support to these communities as they begin to recover, rebuild and heal.”
The Woolsey wildfire swept the Southern California region in November before Camp Fire spread rapidly through Northern California. The devastating and wildly destructive fires have been tough for firefighters to contain and have continued to cause unprecedented damage.
Rodgers offered his thoughts and prayers to those affected by the deadly wildfires after the Packers' Nov. 11th 31–12 win over the Dolphins. The Green Bay star grew up in Chico, Calif., and played football for Butte Community College before transferring to California.
"It's been a rough week. It has," Rodgers said. "I've been on the phone with a lot of folks close to me in Northern California and Southern California. I had the fortune to meet some great firefighters from Santa Monica in the offseason. They sent me this hat and as I was thinking at my house today, this was the only kind of paraphernalia that I have that could represent my support for those folks who are fighting the fires.
"Obviously my heart goes out to the great people of Paradise, California. Growing up in Chico and spending a great deal of time up there, I played a lot of football and basketball and sports up in Paradise. Basically lived in Magalia at one point, which is kind of an even tinier town off of Paradise and the devastation there is tough. Hearing the stories of people running down the highways to avoid the fire. Knowing that people burned alive in their cars, it's heartbreaking for sure. And then, you have a fire in my adopted home of Southern California. So it's been a tough week for sure.
"Myself and the guys from Southern California and Northern California, obviously our thoughts and our prayers are with those folks. Not only the great firefighters fighting the fire, but all the people displaced in my home area of Butte County and obviously down south in the L.A. area."
