J.J. Watt Hurricane Fundraiser Passes $30 Million

J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans suffered a loss in NFL Week 1, but it was bittersweet because news of J.J. Watt’s hurricane relief fund passed $30 million in charity.

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt started a fundraiser this week to help victims of Hurricane Harvey. The initial goal of the fundraiser was $200,000. By Thursday, over $10 million had been raised.

On Twitter, Watt thanked those that donated for their generosity, and said he would leave the fund open to see how high it can go.

On Wednesday night, Watt said he has already been using the money that was raised to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.

“We’re filling the semi-trucks as we speak. Many people have donated their trucks, their time, donated food, water, clothing, generators, things like that,” Watt said. “We’re going to get those trucks down here by this weekend. … The tentative plan is Sunday we’re going to have a bunch of my teammates help me out in a few different locations around town to be determined, and we’re going to hand out those supplies.

“We’re basically trying to find (a) the safest areas we can get to — obviously we don’t want to put anybody in danger — but then (b) the areas that need it the absolute most. So, we’re going to try and set up — literally, it’s going to be open up the back of a semi-truck and start handing out water, start handing out clothes.”

Watt kicked things off by donating $100,000 to the relief fund, others like the Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, each donated $1 million to the fund.

According to ESPN, others like the owners of the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions have also donated to other hurricane relief funds like the Red Cross and United Way.

After spending most of the week in Dallas, the Texans returned home their families on Wednesday after finding a safe route to take.