$30 million and counting. That's the amount NFL star J.J. Watt has raised for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts as I write this. By the time you read it, who knows how high that figure may have climbed? After all, when Watt announced the fundraising page with a video on Twitter in late August, his goal was to collect a modest $200,000. Heck, at this point, there have been nearly 200,000 donors.

At a time when it seems Americans can't agree on anything, it's been refreshing to see so many put aside their differences and show that we're still capable of kindness and compassion. For the past few weeks, rather than a steady stream of divisive politics and name-calling, my social media timelines have been filled with rescuers saving animals from flood waters and volunteers unloading trucks full of food and supplies.

There have been plenty of positive stories within our own industry, as well. The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) quickly established the Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund, raising nearly $80,000 within the first 24 hours.

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Paul Wilson

Paul Wilson is the editor-in-chief of BenefitsPRO Magazine and BenefitsPRO.com. He has covered the insurance industry for more than a decade, including stints at Retirement Advisor Magazine and ProducersWeb.