ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As his hometown of Houston remains in peril, devastated by the effects of Hurrican Harvey, Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is over 1,000 miles away.
“Seeing those pictures, seeing the videos,” Sanders said somberly. “Seeing all my family and all my friends going through that, obviously it hurts me that I can’t do anything about it, as far as physically.”
But that doesn’t mean he can’t do anything about it period.
“One thing that I can do is I can gather all of my teammates, see how much money we can get together and try to donate to a cause out there. Right now, I think we’ve raised at the least, $40,000 that I know for a fact and probably even more than that. All my teammates have contributed, and I’m extremely grateful for it.”
With Sanders leading the bunch, the Broncos are chipping in their own money, using their platforms on social media to help raise more money and finding direct issues that they can help with.
“The guy that runs my foundation reached out to me and said kids out there don’t have diapers,” Sanders explained. “Today I am sending 10,000 diapers, and I think, all in all, we’re going to end up sending 40,000 diapers, if I can get in contact with everybody and send it out there. That’s one thing that we’re trying to do, and as far as food and drinks we’re also trying to contribute that way. We’re doing our part as the Broncos. Being in the NFL and being on this platform, we’re trying to give back… I’m forever grateful for my teammates chipping in.”
The Emmanuel Sanders Foundation, whose mission is to provide financially disadvantaged kids with new sports equipment, so they are able to participate with their peers in amateur youth sports, also plans to donate some of their recent raise—over $200,000—to the relief efforts.
“We have people out here that don’t have shelter over their heads, kids that don’t have diapers,” Sanders explained. “We have to take some of that money and use it for a great cause.”
To join the Broncos and so many others in donating to the relief efforts in Houston, you can text HARVEY to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross relief fund, or donate any other amount on their website.
