The Giants announced today that they are donating $500,000 to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
The donation will be divided equally between two major organizations: Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund and the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.
The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, established by Gov. Chris Christie in the aftermath of the storm, is dedicated to rebuilding the hard-hit Jersey Shore.
The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City is identifying immediate aid needs, including food, water, and hygiene supplies, as well as long-term relief and restoration efforts.
"The New York metropolitan area sustained extensive and devastating damage to its infrastructure in Hurricane Sandy," Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a joint statement. "The Giants want to do everything we can to assist our neighbors, fans and friends. Toward that end, after careful consideration, we have decided to make donations to these two very worthy funds. We are in this for the long haul and will continue to assist relief efforts in our hard-hit region."
The Giants will also be involved in collections to help area communities. For example, Moonachie, located next to East Rutherford, is in desperate need of books for grades K-8, Barnes & Noble gift cards, kindles and laptops to help the schools get back on their feet. The East Rutherford Board of Education is accepting donations for Moonachie. Those interested in helping can contact Lisa Fallon at LFallon@erboe.net.
Numerous Giants players today assisted with relief efforts. Steve Weatherford, Prince Amukamara, Markus Kuhn, David Douglas, Brandon Mosley, Matt Broha, Terrence Fredrick and Laron Scott distributed food in Seaside Heights, where the famed boardwalk was destroyed by the storm.
Justin Tuck, Kevin Boothe, Lawrence Tynes, David Baas, Domenik Hixon, Bear Pascoe and Jim Cordle were at the New Jersey Food Bank, where they assisted in the separation of the food and making sandwiches for relief workers.
Eli Manning traveled to Staten Island with the American Red Cross to assist their efforts.
When they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Giants held their annual food drive to assist victims of the storm. Fans donated 38,405 pounds of food and $18,723, making it by far the team's most successful drive ever.
The Giants and the NFL have encouraged donations to American Red Cross in-stadium and during game broadcasts. Manning and Osi Umenyiora taped PSAs for the relief effort last week. Fans wishing to donate to the American Red Cross can text Red Cross to 9-0-9-9-9 to donate $10. They can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
The Giants and the NFL also hosted about 100 first responders who have worked tirelessly helping people since the hurricane. They met with Commissioner Roger Goodell and were given tickets to the game.
Last week the NFL and the NFL Players Association announced a $1 million donation to the hurricane relief effort.
The Giants will next play at home against Green Bay on November 25, when the team will hold its annual coat drive. On December 9, the Giants will hold their annual Toys for Tots day when they host the New Orleans Saints.
![](http://www.pjtra.com/t/R0BKSkZKQ0BLRkVESEBISEtERw)