Harvey Charities Raise More Than $350M in Less Than 3 Weeks

HOUSTON — More than 50 local and national charities have raised more than $350 million in the nearly three weeks since Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas Gulf Coast.

Now the disparate groups are trying to decide on priorities while some storm victims still await help.

Distrust of large charities such as the American Red Cross has driven many donors to smaller, local organizations such as Houston Texans football star J.J. Watt, who has raised more than $30 million, largely through social media.

But most of the money raised for Harvey still goes to the Red Cross, which has raised a least $211 million.

The rest went to dozens of other organizations, including more than $50 million to a local fund set up by the Houston mayor and the Harris County judge.