Gerald Hanks
In its annual list of “Most Compassionate Cities,” the charity fundraising site YouCaring.com ranks Houston at the very top.
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The impressive ranking is in large part due to the fundraising efforts of Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who raised $37 million for victims of Hurricane Harvey, the largest amount raised in YouCaring’s six-year history.
According to the site’s “State of Compassion” report, YouCaring has handled crowdfunding efforts for over 350,000 campaigns, totaling over $900 million raised on its platform. The report evaluates cities based on the amount of donations per 100,000 households.
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The $37 million raised for the “J.J. Watt Houston Flood Relief Fund” far eclipsed the relief funds set up by other celebrities on the site. Singer Ricky Martin raised nearly $3.9 million for hurricane relief in his native Puerto Rico, while basketball legend Tim Duncan used the platform to raise $2.7 million for hurricane relief for his neighbors in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In late October, Watt announced how he would distribute the funds raised through YouCaring. The fund will hold $7 million in reserve based on the progress of recovery efforts in 2018, with the remaining $30.15 million to be divided between SBP, Feeding America, Americares and Save the Children over the next 18-24 months.
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