The week of February 14 was a devastating one for most of the state of Texas. Although Texas was not the only state hit hard by severe winter weather, its problems were exacerbated by the privatized power grid, which basically failed across the state. Millions of people lost power. The frigid weather also caused water pipes to burst. With no power to heat homes, people are dealing with major damage. City water lines also froze and burst, so there will be a lot of repairs to do.
 

What the Dallas Mavericks Did

After seeing the severity of the damage caused by repeated ice and snow storms in Texas last week, members of the Dallas Mavericks announced on Saturday, February 20 that they would be donating $1.25 million in grants to local emergency relief efforts. Team members Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, along with owner Mark Cuban and CEO Cynt Marshall joined forces with the Mavs Foundation and Chime to donate the funds. Chime is the jersey company the Dallas Mavericks uses for its jerseys.
 

Where the Money Will Go

The grant funds will be dispersed to Dallas organizations to help pay for emergency shelter, facilities costs, food and transportation. Facilities that are currently being used as emergency shelters include the Kay Baily Hutcheson Convention Center, which is both a warming center and a homeless shelter. Funds will also go to other homeless shelters, including OurCalling, Austin Street Shelter and Stewpot.
 

What People Have to Say About the Grants

When people heard about the actions of the Dallas Mavericks, they were touched. The donation encourages other people to volunteer their time or money. Team members and coaches were proud of those who initiated the effort, and more team members are likely to provide additional cash donations to the local nonprofits. The team is heartbroken knowing that there are so many Texans with nowhere to go, severe damage to their homes and nothing to eat. They want to do everything they can in order to help.
 

Other Recipients of the Grant Funds

The 14 YMCA locations in the Dallas area will also get some financial assistance from the grants provided by the Dallas Mavericks. The YMCA locations are serving as arming centers. Residents of The Wilkinson Center, Housing Crisis Center and Voice of Hope will also benefit from the funds, which will provide them with some emergency rental assistance.
 

Some Homeless Shelters Suffered Damage

Two organizations that specialize in shelter for women and families experienced major damage from pipes that burst. They include The Family Place and Genesis Women's Shelter. Some of the funds from the Dallas Mavericks will be used to provide housing assistance for the women and families who had been staying there. Those people lost the few belongings they owned, and they are also receiving some assistance to replace clothing, phones, laptops, school materials, shoes and other essentials that were damaged when the buildings' pipes burst.
 

Additional Help Going to Texas

The Mayor's Disaster Relief Fund will get what's left of the Mavericks' donations. That fund can only be used when a federal emergency declaration has been issued. President Biden issued it for the whole state of Texas on February 14.
 

About the Mavs Foundation

The Mavs Foundation has been helping the Dallas area for more than 24 years. To date, it has raised $6 million in grant funding for nonprofits in the community. Those funds have been distributed to women, children and families in need. The foundation's president noted that there was already a high level of need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The severe winter weather made an already precarious situation worse. With so many members of the community in need of food, water and shelter, the foundation hopes that its contributions will provide much-needed relief.
 

Donations Continue to Be Accepted

Anyone can donate to the Mavs Foundation or the other nonprofits that are working with them in order to help the residents of Dallas. All of the organizations are registered with the IRS as 501(c)3 nonprofits. People who donate could be eligible for a tax deduction on their income taxes. A person can get a tax deduction of up to $600 from their taxable income for charitable donations made during the 2021 calendar year. This offers an additional incentive to contribute to worthy causes.