J.J. Watt
Philanthropy
Justin J. Watt Foundation
The foundation's mission is to provide after-school opportunities for middle-school aged children in the community to become involved in athletics, so that they may learn the character traits of accountability, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, and perseverance, while in a safe and supervised environment with their peers.
When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Watt announced the fundraising page with a video on Twitter after Houston's preseason game against the Saints in Aug. 26, with a goal of collecting $200,000. As donations kept pouring in, he raised the goal again and again. The number skyrocketed thanks to almost 200,000 donors, a group that included Jimmy Fallon, Ellen DeGeneres, Drake, Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk and Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul. Watt's relief fund disclosed that it raised a total of $41.6 million and had 209,431 total donors to the foundation.
In 2018 Watt offered to pay for the funerals of the 10 people who were killed in a shooting at Santa Fe High School.