Drew Brees, Wife Brittany to Donate $5M to Build Louisiana Healthcare Centers

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees announced Monday that he and his wife Brittany are donating $5 million through the Brees Dream Foundation to help build healthcare centers throughout the state of Louisiana.

Brees wrote on Instagram: 

"Brittany and I have always tried to address the greatest needs of our communities through our foundation and personal giving. Today we are very excited to announce another donation of $5 million in partnership with Ochsner Health to build numerous healthcare centers throughout Louisiana in the communities that need it most. We will continue to bridge the gap to bring healthcare, education, and economic equity to all of our communities. We are proud to bring the first of these health care centers to New Orleans East later this year."

Brees also donated $5 million to the state in March to help feed people in need during the pandemic: 

"After considerable research and conversations with local organizations, we will be mobilizing our partnerships with Second Harvest Food Bank, Ochsner Health Systems, Walk-Ons, Jimmy Johns, Smalls Sliders and Waitr to prepare and deliver over 10,000 meals per day throughout Louisiana for as long as it takes to children on meal programs, seniors, and families in need."

In Monday's video, Brees noted that "as we work through one of the greatest challenges of our lifetimes, our health and wellness has never been more important." 

Brittany Brees added, "Our family is honored to help break down barriers and give back to the incredible people of Louisiana."

Brees became a major source of controversy in June when he said he would never support players kneeling for the national anthem while marches and demonstrations were happening around the country in protest of systemic racism and police brutality. 

Brees later apologized for those remarks, saying he "made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy."

He later wrote in a post directed to President Donald Trump—who said Brees would regret his apology—that "through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the Black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our Black communities."