As Florida begins rebuilding from the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, both the Miami Dolphins and team owner Stephen Ross are doing their part.
On Tuesday, Ross announced that he is pledging $1 million to the recovery effort, with more support coming from the team in the form of volunteer work around South Florida.
Ross reflected on the damage caused by the storm and expressed his dedication to giving back to the community.
“The devastation throughout Florida was heartbreaking, but I am inspired by the resilience and spirit of our state to help rebuild,” Ross said according to the Miami Herald. “Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by Hurricane Irma and we are committed to helping in long term recovery efforts.”
A source told the paper that Ross’ donation will go to both immediate recovery and long-term rebuilding efforts.
On top of Ross’ sizable donation, the Dolphins are deploying a group of volunteers from its AARP Foundation-affiliated Miami Dolphins Special Teams program to help the rebuilding process in Miami-Dade, Boward, and Palm Beach counties. The Dolphins have also partnered with AARP on a matching fund grants campaign to support those impacted by Irma, focusing on low-income victims over the age of 50. Finally, a team source added that the Dolphins are committed to assisting the many fans who live in the heavily-damaged Florida Keys area and intend to seek partners in those communities as well.
In total, Ross’ and the Dolphins’ relief efforts are expected to exceed the $1 million monetary donation. The Dolphins mean so much to the people of South Florida, it’s heartening to see the club prove that the love is mutual.
