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New York Jets Donating $1 Million to Organizations Assisting with Ukraine Aid
April 5, 2022
It's been over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine, and images of the war-torn country continue to surface amid the ongoing crisis.
The New York Jets have joined in on the relief efforts, donating $1 million to help aid the people of Ukraine. According to Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press, the donation will be split among several organizations with each receiving $100,000 over the next year.
The cause is particularly meaningful to Jets owner Woody Johnson and his wife Suzanne, the latter of whom is of Ukrainian descent.
"My mother passed away 10 years ago and my father two years ago, and he must be turning in his grave right now," Suzanne Johnson told Waszak. "This would've killed him. It's just incredulous, and it's really the only word I can think of for what's happening today."
Johnson has donated to Ukrainian organizations in the past. She said she hopes the contribution helps get a jumpstart on much-needed relief efforts.
"I wanted to do my part in helping and to bring awareness because this is a problem that's not going to go away," she said. "The money, they're going to need for a long time for rebuilding and for the aid. It's going to be there. So I just hope we could start something going. The world has been quite generous, and I just hope it continues to be that way."
In addition to the $1 million donation, the Jets provided an opportunity for staff members to contribute medical supplies, which Plast Scouting USA—the first organization receiving funds from the Jets—would match to help further aid victims and their families.
"These donations will positively impact Ukrainian refugees and their families with essential supplies," Woody Johnson said in a statement. "The need for resources is continuously growing. Our thoughts continue to be with the innocent lives who have been affected and all those who are suffering."