The Dallas Cowboys are showing their support for the families coping with the aftermath of the tragedy in Uvalde as well as the larger community around the small Texas town.
The team, along with the NFL Foundation, has announced a $400,000 donation, with $200,000 going to the Robb School Memorial Fund and the remaining $200,000 being directed to the Uvalde Strong Fund. The funds will be directed to community recovery in the areas of mental health and trauma and will support the families of the victims, the survivors of the school shooting, and the Uvalde community.
Nineteen students and two teachers were murdered inside their elementary school by a teenage gunman last week. Funerals for the victims began Tuesday in the town located about 350 miles to the southwest of Dallas.
“Our hearts are broken for the families affected by the senseless tragedy that occurred in Uvalde, Texas on May 24th, 2022,” said Charlotte Jones, Cowboys executive vice president. “There are simply no words to describe the pain and sorrow that we feel for the Uvalde community. We hold them tight in our thoughts and continued prayers.”
The Houston Texans, who are based approximately 300 miles to the east of Uvalde, have also organized a sizable donation that was pulled together by the team’s players and then matched by owner Cal McNair. Texans head coach Lovie Smith made that announcement Wednesday.
DeMarcus Lawrence and Dak Prescott were among the Cowboys players who spoke openly about the tragedy last week.
Lawrence called on Texas governor Greg Abbott to do more to protect schoolchildren and appealed to NBA superstar LeBron James with a proposal to work together to provide better security to schools that need it.
Prescott admitted that the shooting made him fearful about the prospect of having children. He also helped lead a town hall bringing together Dallas-area youth, community groups, law enforcement officials, education leaders, and mental health experts for some much-needed, if difficult, conversations.
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