'Welcome to the Party!' Ex-Texans Star J.J. Watt's Foundation Announces Milestone, Charity Event
Houston Texans superstar defensive end JJ Watt became synonymous with the franchise during his stay. Now, he’s hoping his impact off the field comes to mind when mentioning his name.
Watt’s philanthropy is no new development but reached a new milestone in February. The JJ Watt Foundation reached $7 million in donations on Feb. 13.
His foundation, which began as his NFL career did in 2011, attempts to provide middle schoolers with the resources and opportunities to play sports.
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“With tremendous support from individuals, businesses, donors, and volunteers, we’ve now donated over $7,000,000 to middle schools across the country!!” the foundation celebrated in a social media post. “Every donation makes a difference in the lives of the next generation benefiting from JJ’s mission.”
Part of this fundraising is done through events like the J.J. Watt Charity Classic softball game. Watt’s extracurricular is returning this year, on May 4 in Sugar Land Texas.
Watt spoke about how meaningful and enjoyable events like these are.
“This event is near and dear to my heart,” he said in a video posted by the foundation. “It is one of the most fun things I’ve done throughout my entire career, and if you’ve been with us before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It is an absolute blast. If you’re new to it, welcome to the party and get ready for a show. It truly is a party.”
Many Houstonians, both current and of years past, are expected to join Watt in his fundraising effort.
Watt, off the field, may be best known for his charitable efforts after Hurricane Harvey. He initially contributed $100,000 towards a $200,000 goal before his campaign went viral. In the year after the hurricane, Watt had raised over $40 million and helped over 1,100 homes rebuild.
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner also became the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his fundraising.
You can find out more about the JJ Watt Foundation and the upcoming softball game here.
