Kyle Rudolph leads Vikings as team donates $50K to help Drake Hotel fire victims
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - After a devastating fire ripped through the Drake Hotel in Minneapolis on Christmas morning, the Minnesota Vikings are stepping up to help families displaced by the blaze.
The hotel served as an overflow shelter for families facing homelessness, and after the fire burned out the building, those families and others were left with nowhere else to go. In total, 250 people were displaced by the fire and more than 100 were still in an emergency shelter on Friday.
Sunday, Vikings.com reports tight end Kyle Rudolph led an effort among Vikings players to raise money to support the Drake fire survivors.
Rudolph and other players chipped in to raise $25,000. The Vikings ownership group and organization then matched that amount, bringing the total donation to $50,000.
As of Saturday, the Minneapolis Foundation, who has worked with the Red Cross, says it has raised more than $278,000 to support families after the fire. You can still help by making a donation online or by texting DRAKEFIRE to 243725.