The state of Iowa has been devastated by widespread flooding in recent weeks, and former Lady Tiger track star and Des Moines native Lolo Jones will assist in the relief effort by donating her winnings from the U.S. Olympic Trials nearly two weeks ago.

During a state send-off for Iowa’s Olympic athletes in Des Moines on Monday, Jones announced that she planned to donate the money from her win in the 100-meter hurdles to one Cedar Rapids family that saw its home and possessions wiped out in last month’s flood.

Jones met Renee Trout and her two children – Dylan, 12, and Jazmine, 9 – on Monday following the event and flew to Cedar Rapids with the family for a tour of their flooded home.

Jones was awarded $4,000 for her dominating performance at the Olympic Trials on July 6 as she won the 100-meter hurdles after clocking a blistering wind-aided time of 12.29 seconds, which is the fastest that any American has covered the 10-hurdle race under all conditions in the history of the sport. Her donation was matched by her sponsors Asics and Oakley for a total of $12,000.

Trout, who is a single mother of her two children and a waitress at a local Ruby Tuesday, is living with friends as she looks for a new home for her son and daughter. Jones said that she could think of no better way to give back to the community that has given her support throughout her career.

“At the happiest time of my life this year, I was like ‘it’s only fair for me to give back, you know, especially to my community who’s helped me to have this success,’” Jones said.

Jones has certainly established herself as a gold medal contender at next month’s Olympic Games in Beijing, China, as she currently boasts the world’s fastest time in the 100-meter hurdles with a wind-legal personal best of 12.45 recorded in the semifinal round at the Olympic Trials. She also won the World Indoor title in the 60-meter hurdles in Valencia, Spain, earlier this season.

“I’m so proud of Lolo for all that she has accomplished this season and the fact that she is now in a position to give back to her community after overcoming much adversity of her own during her professional career,” said LSU head coach Dennis Shaver. “This just shows the kind of person she really is. I’ve seen her become a dominant hurdler in the sport of track and field, but she is an even better person off the track as evidence by her humanitarian efforts in this tragedy.”