The Houston Rockets have teamed up with Texas and national professional sports organizations to form the Sport for Healing Fund, created to provide long-term support for the Uvalde community.
Following the deadly elementary school shooting in Uvalde, the fund is designed to provide long-term community support in Uvalde by creating and investing in trauma and healing-centered care for youth and families. For the project, the Rockets are joining the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, San Antonio Spurs, and the NBA in providing initial funding.
Efforts will be anchored around sports and building safe places, like community outdoor play areas, where young people can play and heal through on-the-ground mental wellness and counseling resources.
Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) is managing the fund in conjunction with San Antonio Area Foundation, which will distribute investments into the Uvalde community. Fans who would like to join the sports groups by contributing to the fund are invited to donate here.
“The Uvalde community will forever be thankful for the generous partnerships established to pay tribute and remember our loved ones,” said Rob Fowler, Uvalde’s parks and recreation director.
“We are well aware that the road to mental health recovery from this traumatic event is a long journey,” Fowler added. “However, the youth of our community will heal with the support from our local and national sports community. Physical spaces for healing and resources for mental healthcare are vital to the recovery of our beloved community.”
Spurs, Rockets, Mavs, Stars teaming up.@GSheirr: “The Fertitta family and the Houston Rockets organization are heartbroken from last month’s senseless loss of life. We are honored to join the Spurs, Mavericks, and Stars to help bring healing to this shattered Texas community.” https://t.co/pljuHV2SCr
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) June 22, 2022
Childhood trauma is a pervasive public health issue across the country. By providing both physical spaces for healing and free resources to children and the adults around them in the Uvalde community, the fund’s programs are designed to help reduce the stigma of mental health challenges and decrease the service gap between sport and healing.
“The Fertitta family and the Rockets organization are heartbroken from last month’s senseless loss of life,” said Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations. “We are honored to join the Spurs, Mavericks, and Stars to help bring healing to this shattered Texas community.”
