Houston Athletes and Teams Add to Hurricane Relief Funds

Sports teams in Houston along with their athletes are helping the community following Hurricane Harvey.

Owners of the NFL’s Houston Texans, MLB’s Houston Astros and the NBA’s Houston Rockets have pledged millions of dollars in towards the relief efforts.

Athletes are also helping out as well. JJ Watt the defensive end for the Texans began raising funds for the storm victims and beat his first goal of $200,000 in just two hours. His next goal for $500,000 was then easily beaten. He then increased that overnight to $1.5 million.

Watt, who cannot leave Dallas due to the storm, posted a video Monday night talking about his campaign to raise funds. He said he had been working diligently to ensure that the money was going directly to those in need and not to any administrative fees.

Watt said in his video that Houston needed to stay strong as we are all with you. He added that people are doing everything in their power to ensure that the victims are able to get back up again on their feet.

The players and teams have made charity announcements while being stranded outside the city. The NFL’s Texans moved their preseason game to neighboring Dallas, while the Astros have had to switch their three-game series beginning Tuesday with the Mets to Tropicana Field home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jim Crane the owner of the Astros and the rest of the ownership group for the team and the team’s foundation is donating $ million to the relief efforts.

Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander has pledged a donation of $4 million to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by Sylvester Turner the Houston Mayor.

Robert McNair the owner of the Houston Texans is donating $1 million to United Way’s Hurricane relief fund.

Chris Paul the recently acquired point guard for the Houston Rockets made a donation of $50,000 to Watt’s hurricane campaign.

The charitable foundation of the NFL has pledged $1 million to the relief fund of the United Way.

MLB as well as the players association have together pledged $1 million to Red Cross as well as other relief funds.

The NFL’s New England Patriots announced they were going to match the $1 million in public donations to the Red Cross.

The Texas Rangers have announced they will donate half of three of their home game raffles to the Red Cross.

The NFL’s Dallas Cowboys will hold a telethon with former players and cheerleaders to raise money.