Round Rock-Based Dell Technologies Donates $36M For Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

ROUND ROCK, TX — Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and his wife have pledged $36 million dollars earmarked for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in his his Houston hometown, officials announced Friday.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation said it would donate half the amount to launch the Rebuild Texas Fundwith Gov. Greg Abbott, and is running a matching campaign through midnight Monday in which the foundation will match $1 for every $2 donated, foundation officials said.

The Rebuild Texas Fund aims to raise $100 million.

Dell's announcement comes a week after Harvey made landfall in Southeast Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. Resulting floods from the ensuing tropical storm devastated portions of Houston as well as smaller cities along the Texas Gulf Coast that include Beaumont, Port Arthur and Rockport.

According to the statement announcing the donation, Dell noted his childhood home in Houston is currently under water.

"The devastation of Hurricane Harvey is a heartbreaking reminder that disaster can hit us at any time," the Dells said as part of the announcement. "Communities have been destroyed, and tens of thousands of people are facing tremendous hardship."

The disaster has resonated personally with them both, the couple explained: "This disaster is personal to everyone who has roots in Texas. Both of us were born and raised in Texas, and the street Michael grew up on in Houston is under water now."

The Dells urged others to get involved with relief efforts by donating to the cause.

"It will take everyone working together to surpass the $100 million goal. We would love everyone to join us in this effort by texting 91999 with the words “RebuildTX” to donate. Visit www.rebuildtx.org to learn more about the Rebuild Texas Fund. This is an extraordinary opportunity to come together. Please join us. Together we can make a meaningful difference."

Michael Dell is the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, one of the world’s leading providers of information technology infrastructure solutions, based in Round Rock.

>>> Photo by Joi Ito via Wikimedia Commons