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White Plains Residents Help Battle Water Crisis In Michigan

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Dozens of Good Samaritans in the Lower Hudson Valley have teamed up to gather gallons of fresh bottled water that are being shipped to thirsty residents suffering from the water crisis in Flint, Mich. 

More than 100 cases of water were collected in New Rochelle over the weekend, which will soon be shipped to Flint, Mich. through a Yonkers trucking company.

More than 100 cases of water were collected in New Rochelle over the weekend, which will soon be shipped to Flint, Mich. through a Yonkers trucking company.

Photo Credit: Contributed
More than 100 cases of water were collected in New Rochelle over the weekend, which will soon be shipped to Flint, Mich. through a Yonkers trucking company.

More than 100 cases of water were collected in New Rochelle over the weekend, which will soon be shipped to Flint, Mich. through a Yonkers trucking company.

Photo Credit: Zak Failla

As part of New Rochelle’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, volunteers in New Rochelle, Pelham, White Plains and Yonkers have teamed up to collect nearly 150 cases and 100 gallon jugs of water for residents in Flint, which has been battling corrosive drinking water for nearly two years.

The Water for Flint drive proved so popular with benefactors with My Brother’s Keeper that Trinity Elementary School - led by district security guard - organized their own drive, with four carloads of water donated from students, parents and faculty members. Those cases were shipped to the Nepperhan Community Center in Yonkers on Monday, where Ron’s Trucking has volunteered to deliver the donations to Michigan this week.

According to officials, since Monday, the drivers have collected water from all four municipalities, and volunteers are on their way to Michigan to deliver the donation. Several local officials will accompany drivers, including Nepperhan Community Center Executive Director Jim Bostic and Pastor James Hassell of Kingdom Christian Cultural Center in Yonkers and Pastor Reginald Hudson from the Reginald Hudson of Union Baptist Church in New Rochelle.

The water crisis in Flint began nearly two years ago, when the city began tapping into the polluted Flint River in an effort to cut costs, rather than utilizing Detroit’s supply from Lake Huron. As a result, thousands of children and residents have been hospitalized with lead poisoning, prompting a nationwide response.

According to reports, it may cost upwards of $1.5 billion to correct the crisis, which is forcing nearly 100,000 residents to utilize bottled water for everything from cooking and laundry to bathing and drinking.

“We are so grateful to all that donated water, promoted the water collection on social media, encouraged friends and associates to participate and took the time to write a note of encouragement to the residents of Flint,” organizers said in a joint statement. “This effort shows that New Rochelle is a community whose residents are generous and compassionate, engaged and respectful of others. We cannot be more proud to be a part of this community.” 

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