Texas Border Business
EDINBURG – The Justin J. Watt Foundation recently awarded $40,000 in grants to several athletics programs from the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District.
“It’s a foundation established by JJ Watt, the football player for the Houston Texans,” said ECISD PE Health Coordinator Leo Reyes. “What he does is fund uniforms and equipment for only middle schools.”
More than 500 students from all six Edinburg CISD middle schools will be receiving uniforms and sporting equipment thanks to the foundation.
“This is something that is going to be for all sports,” Reyes said. “You’re talking about basketball, softball, baseball, football, and cheerleading.”
Reyes said that the national foundation supports middle school athletic programs, allowing coaches to buy other items with their athletics budgets.
“The kids that we have at our school are the ones that definitely need the help,” Harwell Middle School PE Department Head Bertha Chavana said. “It softens my heart that JJ Watt is giving back and that he is helping our students feel like they are a part of a bigger program.”
Over the last three years, the Justin J. Watt Foundation has donated approximately $65,000 to middle school athletics programs at Edinburg CISD.
“I just want to say thank you so much to the Justin J. Watt Foundation, specifically to JJ Watt and his mom, Connie,” Chavana said. “I know it is a ton of work, but I just want to say thank you for all the work you do to help our students here in Texas.”
