Hurricane Harvey had a profound impact on people all over the nation. Texans banded together to take care of one another. Famous Texans like JJ Watt have raised money for victims, but a huge donation also came from one very unexpected place.
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Texas prisoners collectively raised $53,863 for victims of Hurricane Harvey. Prisons across the Lone Star State collected the funds from Aug. 31 through Sept. 30, via prisoners' commissary funds.
This isn't the first time Texas prisoners have made a sizable donation to disaster victims. The prison system set up similar funds after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, in response to inquiries from the prisoners themselves about what they could do to help.
"Certainly Hurricane Harvey was a prolonged event and many of these offenders had families and friends that were effected by it," Jason Clark, Spokesman for the Texas Prison System told the Houston Chronicle. "They saw what was going on and wanted in some form or fashion to help."
Texas prison employees also benefited from the generosity of others. They accepted over $67,000 worth of donations from concerned citizens and private businesses. Those donations will aid the families of correctional workers affected by the storm and subsequent flooding.
