LA Sports Teams Step Up to Help With Hurricane Harvey Relief

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Chargers announced Friday they are pitching in to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

The Dodgers made a $100,000 donation to the Houston Food Bank and contributed 5,000 fleece blankets to the Dream Center in Texas to be distributed to flood victims.

Additionally, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation will contribute the proceeds from its in-game 50/50 raffle on Wednesday also in support of the Houston Food Bank. Dodger fans are encouraged to visit houstonfoodbank.org/dodgers to join in this effort.

"On behalf of the entire Dodger organization, we want to support and help those affected by Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area," said Dodgers' President and CEO Stan Kasten. "We feel it's important to do our part in helping with the recovery efforts after this natural disaster that has devastated so many."

Dodger players will show their support for those affected by Hurricane Harvey with special Houston Strong batting practice t-shirts on Wednesday, when the players' wives/significant others and team alumni will join the LADF 50/50 raffle sellers in selling tickets throughout the stadium. Raffle tickets will be sold three for $5, 10 for $10 and 60 for $20 from the time stadium gates open until the end of the sixth inning. Half of the jackpot will go to one lucky winner, while the remaining 50 percent donated to the Houston Food Bank.

"We're deeply saddened to see the loss and devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston and surrounding areas,'' said Nichol Whiteman, executive director of the Dodgers Foundation. "We are inspired by the tremendous amount of strength in adversity of those impacted, and encouraged by the continued relief and aid efforts bringing communities together during this time."

The Chargers and the team's owners announced a $500,000 donation and a food and supply drive to aid victims of the historic flooding that occurred over the past week throughout Southeast Texas.

The donation will be distributed to several organizations on the ground aiding in disaster relief efforts, including the Houston Food Bank, American Red Cross and Houston SPCA.

The food/supply drive will take place for 12 hours, beginning at 6 a.m. Wednesday, when a semi-trailer truck will be stationed in front of the Vons store at 4520 Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles to collect food and supplies identified by the Houston Food Bank as items of need.

"Watching the images coming out of Houston this week has been heartbreaking," said Chargers Chairman of the Board Dean Spanos. "Having lived through the devastation of the wildfires in San Diego County, we felt it was important to do something -- in addition to a monetary donation -- that would provide tangible help in real time to assist those who now suddenly find themselves without a home."

"We know first-hand this will be a long process of recovery, and every amount of support will help,'' he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Southeast Texas, and we want them to know more help is on the way."

Items which Angelenos may bring or purchase at Vons include: pop-top, ready-to-eat items; shelf-stable pantry items such as peanut butter, tuna and soup; bottled water; hand-held snack items such as granola bars; cleaning supplies such as paper towels and bleach; new personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste; and diapers, both baby and adult sizes.

All Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores nationwide, including the 4520 Sunset Blvd. Vons location, are running a hurricane relief checkstand fundraiser that will run until Sept. 13.

In addition to donating food and supplies, customers can make monetary donations to aid disaster relief, with Albertsons Companies and The Albertsons Companies Foundation matching the first $200,000 donated nationally.

The Los Angeles Rams on Thursday announced several ways they are supporting the relief efforts around Hurricane Harvey, including allowing fans purchasing tickets to the regular-season opener to have a portion of the price donated to the relief efforts.

Fans purchasing tickets for the Sept. 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts at therams.com/harvey and entering the code BROCKERS can have the Rams' full proceeds from the sale donated to the American Red Cross and United Way of Greater Houston.