The Glazer family is making a $1 million donation to help with Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Florida, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced.
An unprecedented storm hit Florida this week, bringing dangerous wind speeds of 140 mph and massive flooding that destroyed buildings and killed nearly a dozen.
In the wake of the fatal hurricane, the owners of the Buccaneers’ Glazer have pledged a seven-figure sum to help the state recover.
“The Glazer family has pledged $1 million to support local nonprofit organizations helping those most affected by Hurricane Helene,” a statement from Tampa Bay reads.
“The donation will be allocated to support local agencies involved in relief efforts throughout Tampa Bay.”
The Glazer family is making a $1 million donation to help with Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Florida.
The Glazers, who also own Premier League soccer club Manchester United, have been running the Buccaneers since Malcolm Glazer paid a record $192 million to acquire the franchise in 1995.
Under his ownership, Tampa Bay won two Super Bowl titles in the 2002 and 2020 seasons.
“The flooding caused by Hurricane Helene’s storm surge has been devastating for many people across the state and specifically in our Tampa Bay community,” said Bucs owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz.
‘There are many areas in our community that will require additional time and resources to begin recovery. We offer our full support to those who have been affected and are extremely grateful for the heroic and brave efforts of the many first responders and utility workers who have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our community during this difficult time.’
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Saturday that there have been at least 11 storm-related deaths in Florida.
The deaths included traffic deaths and people trapped by storm surge, the governor said during a news conference.
A record-breaking storm hit Florida this week, killing a dozen in the state.
The Glazers, owners of the Buccaneers NFL franchise, have donated a nine-figure sum to help Florida recover.
“There were no deaths in Taylor County, which is where the storm made landfall,” DeSantis said, adding that he credits the people of hard-hit Taylor County for heeding the warnings.
“If you had told me there was going to be 15 to 18 feet of storm surge, even with the best efforts, I would have assumed we would have had multiple fatalities.”
The remnants of Hurricane Helene dissipated Saturday, but millions of people remain without power across the Southeast and officials warned that unprecedented river flooding is occurring in parts of southern Appalachia.
The storm has been blamed for at least 52 deaths in five states, including 23 people in South Carolina and 11 in Florida. Authorities fear the death toll could rise as authorities continue to take stock of the devastation in Helene.
The hurricane made landfall Thursday night as a Category 4 storm on Florida’s Gulf Coast and then moved quickly Friday through Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, uprooting trees, splintering homes and overflowing streams and rivers and forcing dams.
Tropical Storm John made landfall for the second time along Mexico’s Pacific coast on Friday, while in its wake authorities in the resort city of Acapulco asked anyone with a boat for help in dealing with flooding. It has since dissipated in Mexico.