Augusta National Announces $5 Million Donation for Hurricane Relief

The Augusta community’s rebuilding efforts after the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene received a big boost Thursday, thanks to neighboring golfers in the area.

Augusta National Golf Club and the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) announced a joint $5 million donation for local relief efforts, the latest initiative to help rebuild the Augusta area after the devastation caused by the Category 4 hurricane.

“I was in Augusta in the days immediately following the storm and saw first-hand its devastating impact,” Augusta National President Fred Ridley said in a statement announcing the donation. “Our employees, neighbors, friends and business owners need and deserve immediate and meaningful help to navigate the challenges Augusta is experiencing right now.”

Helene carved a destructive path across much of the American Southeast, felling dozens of trees, causing intense flooding and leaving millions without power. The Augusta area was in the heart of the storm’s path, and the city faces a long road back after many of its homes and businesses suffered “catastrophic” damage.

In addition to the $5 million donation, the club, CSRA and the Medical College of Georgia Foundation announced separate contributions to the response and recovery efforts currently being led by the American Red Cross, including a truckload of mobile feeding and recovery center in downtown Augusta.

“Augusta National and the Community Foundation each take to heart our obligation to care for our community,” Ridley said. “Our goal is to make a difference when it’s needed most, and we hope our donation can inspire others to help or ask how they can contribute to this essential mission.”

The money is intended to “provide immediate access to essential services and resources available throughout the greater Augusta area,” the release said.

Few organizations in the golf world have the financial muscle to make a $5 million in-kind donation overnight, but Augusta National isn’t most organizations. Under Ridley, the famed club and host of the Masters has taken on a more public role in supporting causes that align with its values ​​in the hope that the club’s public status will help attract additional support for its efforts – a strategy to which Ridley referred to during his annual speech. press conference in April as “one plus one equals three”.

Helen’s donation represents a painful extension of that strategy as the club and its hometown recover from a storm that left thousands without power.

At a separate news conference earlier this week, Ridley said the club also suffered hurricane damage, but the Masters would go ahead as scheduled next April.

James Colgan

Publisher of Golf.com

James Colgan is News and Features Editor at GOLF, writing articles for the website and magazine. He manages Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and uses his on-camera experience across all of the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he served as a caddying fellow (and trick looper) on Long Island, where he is originally from. He can be contacted at [email protected].