Dallas Cowboys announce $500,000 donation toward Texas flood recovery effort

The Dallas Cowboys have released a statement on the catastrophic flooding that has devastated parts of Texas throughout the week. Alongside their statement was a pledge to donate money toward the recovery.

“Our hearts are heavy as we witness the devastation and loss of life caused by the floods in Kerr County and Texas Hill Country, especially for the young girls and their families, as well as all of those lost and their loved ones,” the statement reads.

“This has been devastating to see and we hold everyone impacted in our thoughts and prayers. Standing side by side with The Salvation Army’s critical response, we are also donating $500,000 to provide immediate resources for rescue, relief and long term recovery efforts.”

More than 50 people were confirmed to have died from the flood, which began in the early hours of Friday, July 4. According to state officials, the the Guadalupe River rose up to 26 feet within 45 minutes. 43 of those confirmed deaths had occurred in Kerr County, which sits northwest of San Antonio.

Over 850 people have been rescued and over 100 have been airlifted away from the region. There are numerous missing individuals in the area, including 27 girls who were attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in the area. Boots are on the ground attempting to rescue the young camp-goers.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) stated that there were “increased threats of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas,” dating back to Wednesday, July 2. Despite the state deploying water rescue teams and other preventative measures before the flood struck, Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said on Friday that the forecast didn’t predict how much rainfall would actually occur.

In response, more than 1,000 local, state and federal personnel were deployed to the flooded areas to aid in the recovery effort, according to officials. On Saturday, they began navigating difficult terrain given the damage the floods called in an attempt to rescue more citizens.

The generous donation from the Dallas Cowboys goes to a well-needed cause. Perhaps this will initiate the multitude of professional sports team around the state to provide similar aid to their citizens and fans. Texas is home to 12 major league sports teams across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and WNBA. Their combined efforts could make a major difference in their state.