JJ Watt Foundation Donates $2M to Southeast Texas Food Bank

The Southeast Texas Food Bank has just announced it’s the recipient of an amazingly generous gift from the J.J. Watt Foundation. Watt recently announced he would issue a second round of foundation funding for causes accepted post-Hurricane Harvey. He also requested that those beneficiaries only reveal generalities about his Foundation’s philanthropy. With that, the Southeast Texas Food Bank will have received over $2 million.

In a statement released on August 27, Watt said, “The (post-Hurricane Harvey) fundraiser that I started with a simple goal of $200,000 turned into an unbelievable outpouring of support from people all around the globe. When it was all said and done, after the late donations and checks that came in after the deadline were counted, the total amount that was donated and is now hard at work in the community was $41.6 million….While a great deal has been accomplished in the past 12 months, there is still much work to be done.”

Photo: Facebook/Debra Dynes Family House

Funds received by the South Texas Food Bank to date were earmarked for the purchase of additional food and trucks in order to enhance its capacity for service. In addition, more storage space was accessed. and a share of the funding has gone out to dozens of partner distribution agencies. These efforts have been in the interest of helping them to either increase their own capacity or to recover it post-Harvey.

Photo: Facebook/The Rachel Way

Dan Maher, Executive Director of the Southeast Texas Food Bank, noted that the J.J. Watt Foundation was “instrumental” in aiding their response to community needs following Hurrican Harvey. Maher described himself as “awestruck” at the generosity exhibited by the Foundation and Watt himself. He further noted these contributions will have a profound impact on reducing hunger.