The island of Puerto Rico has been devastated in recent days by Hurricane Maria, a Category-5 storm that left at least 38 people dead and nearly 3.5 million others without electricity.
The flooding has reached catastrophic levels in some areas, and on Friday, officials warned that a major dam in the northern part of the territory was on the brink of collapse, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for approximately 70,000 nearby residents.
Numerous athletes and celebrities have been spearheading relief efforts, and New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony – who is half Puerto Rican – is chief among them. Melo announced on Friday that he was donating $50,000 to the cause and made an impassioned plea for fans to chip in and do their part.
Via The Players’ Tribune:
I know there’s so many different things going on in America and in the world right now that need our attention, but damn … I need your help. I need the help of anybody reading this. We have to help the people of Puerto Rico get the supplies they need to survive day-to-day until their country can be built up again.
I’ve set up a YouCaring donation page to aid the relief efforts. Any help you can give will get directly into the hands of those who need it — you have my word. I’ve been doing community work on the island for the past 10 years, but this is another level. I’m starting with an immediate $50,000 donation, but I need your help in this fight.
Anthony has been all over the news in recent days as rumors of a possible trade to either Houston or Portland have reportedly been in the works. But his active involvement in raising funds for the U.S. territory that is in dire need of assistance in the wake of a natural disaster shows the Knicks superstar still has his priorities in order.
