For Jalen Hurts, showing up for Philadelphia has never been limited to Sundays at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles quarterback and his Jalen Hurts Foundation announced this week that they’re making their largest donation to date, $600,000, to install a new cooling system at Northeast High School, one of the largest schools in the city, located along Cottman Avenue in Northeast Philly.
The gift builds on work Hurts has already been doing since 2024 through his Keep It Cool initiative, which has provided air conditioners to schools throughout the district and pledged $5,000 for every touchdown Hurts scores toward the cause.
This latest donation, though, is a different scale entirely, and organizers say it’s designed to speed up a faster, more comprehensive fix for a school that’s needed one for a while.
"I can imagine you guys would like ACs":
— CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) September 15, 2026
Northeast High School is getting a new HVAC system as part of an initiative from the Jalen Hurts Foundation to help keep Philadelphia schools cool.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts spoke at Northeast High School Tuesday morning as his… pic.twitter.com/qnteYF0w7R
The scope of the problem across the School District of Philadelphia is bigger than most people probably realize. More than half of the district’s 218 schools lack adequate cooling systems, and that gap hasn’t just been an inconvenience.
Organizers point to early dismissals during heat waves that have directly cut into classroom instruction, and many of the district’s older buildings don’t even have the electrical capacity to support upgraded HVAC units, meaning a new air conditioner alone often isn’t enough of a solution.
Northeast High School has felt that reality firsthand, with organizers describing severe scheduling disruptions tied to extreme weather and an aging system that simply can’t keep up.
Hurts chose Northeast High School for a reason. He’s built a genuine relationship with the school over time, engaging with students and local youth sports organizations and showing up alongside fellow athletes for community events there.
“I’ve been in your guys’ shoes, and I know the importance of having support and having the backing to do and achieve whatever dreams that you have,” Hurts told the students at an event announcing the donation.
