Drew Brees To Donate $5M To Support Louisiana Health Care

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and his wife have announced a $5 million donation to build community health centers throughout Louisiana.

Drew Brees and Brittany Brees appeared in a video posted to the NFL player’s Instagram account Monday revealing the partnership between the Brees Dream Foundation and Louisiana health care system Ochsner Health.

Drew Brees said the partnership would have a particular emphasis on underserved communities, adding that the first of the health care centers was set to be built in New Orleans East later this year. The centers will include primary and specialty care services, he said.

“COVID-19 has changed nearly everything … and as we work through one of the greatest challenges of our lifetimes, our health and wellness has never been more important,” Drew Brees said in the video.

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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 @ochsnerhealth 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.

A post shared by Drew Brees (@drewbrees) on Jul 27, 2020 at 9:04am PDT

“We will continue to bridge the gap to bring healthcare, education and economic equity to all of our communities,” the Brees’ added in the post.

In March, the family donated an additional $5 million to go toward coronavirus relief in Louisiana, news outlets reported.

Brees drew criticism in June and subsequently apologized for comments he made in an interview regarding his opposition to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem. The comments came as demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice unfolded around the world.