UH coach Sampson's plea for clothing for Houston pays off
As millions of dollars in charitable aid pour into Houston and surrounding areas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Cougars basketball coach Kelvin Sampson had his own unique plea for relief for displaced residents.
Sampson issued a challenge on Twitter Monday that basketball coaches from around the country - high school, junior college, and all NCAA levels - send shirts and shoes from their respective schools to help clothe evacuees. The response has been overwhelming.
📦➡✈️️ Houston #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/Q5RBKaMeIB
— Saint Mary's Hoops (@saintmaryshoops) August 31, 2017
.@CoachSampsonUH Thank you for creating a way for us to help. #Ucdavismbb gear is packed & ready to ship #goags #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/0excamYN20
— UCDavisMBB (@UCDavisMBB) August 30, 2017
On the way! Bear Down! pic.twitter.com/9tzyL6HBx4
— matt roemer (@mwroemer) August 30, 2017
Count us in too @CoachSampsonUH #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/7LPKLaJR3I
— MarianWBB (@MarianUnivWBB) August 30, 2017
Enjoy all of these! #GoNU #GoCougs #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/my1e2bOO2R
— Northeastern WHKY (@GoNUwhockey) August 30, 2017
In about 24 hours, more than 450 schools had replied to Sampson's request, according to Yahoo's Pete Thamel. "Words can't describe how you feel," Sampson told Yahoo. "It gets a little emotional, to be honest with you."
More than 30,000 people are currently believed to be displaced in the Houston area. On Tuesday, mayor Sylvester Turner opened the Toyota Center - home of the NBA's Rockets - as spillover for the thousands of evacuees who are currently staying in the nearby George R. Brown Convention Center.
Sampson was an assistant coach with the Rockets before taking the reins of the Cougars program in 2014.