You may have heard the news of people waiting in line for bottled water in Flint.
Help Me Hank is also working to bring safe drinking water to the city during this crisis.
On Jan. 15, Art Van Furniture delivered about 200 cases of water to Catholic Charities of Shiawasee and Genesee Counties in Flint. Those cases of water were donated by concerned and generous viewers of Local 4! Help Me Hank is partnering with Art Van and Catholic Charities to get more bottled water to those in need in Flint.
The water drive was launched on Tuesday, January 12th, and there's already been a big show of support. Help Me Hank caught up with Chris Modrack of Farmington as she and her husband dropped off nearly 50 cases of water at the Art Van Furniture store in Novi.
"Water is a basic need. We learned that in first grade," she said. "This is perfect we did about a five mile drive instead of a 60 mile drive."
State lawmakers join effort
On January 15th, five state lawmakers from Macomb County joined the effort to bring more water to Flint. "We're just really troubled by the devastation
the Flint water crisis has caused," said State Representative Derek Miller of Warren.
He was joined by State Representative Marilyn Lane, State Representative John Chirkun, and State Representative Henry Yanez at the Art Van Furniture store in Warren.
They teamed up to send 98 cases of water and numerous gallons of water for baby formula to Flint. They realize it's critical for parents of young children to avoid lead in their water, and their baby formula. "Mothers and fathers that need to mix baby formula and water for their children ... can get them the nutrients they need without being poisoned by Flint water," said State Representative Derek Miller.
The State Senator remembered a conversation he had with a woman at a protest rally in Flint. She spoke about making meals for her children and could barely contain her emotions. "She told me she felt like she was poisoning her children. She's boiling the macaroni and cheese in water from the Flint River
that's toxic."
"Not enough apologies can be said to the families in Flint for what they're going through right now," said State Representative Marilyn Lane of Clinton Township, Fraser and Mount Clemens.
How you can help: Water or financial support
You can still help the people of Flint. It will be a long road ahead. Help Me Hank and Art Van Furniture will continue gathering and delivering water for the next few weeks. The drive is designed for people who are bringing smaller donations of water, but can't drive the donation to Flint.
If you have a huge donation for the city, you might want to call The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, which is handling larger donations of water.
If you have want to donate money, Help Me Hank has been working with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint to help the short and long-term needs of Flint's children exposed to lead.
The Flint Child Health & Development Fund will support the delivery of critical public health, medical, and community-based services and interventions that address and mitigate the short and long term impacts experienced by Flint, Michigan children exposed to lead as the result of the 2014-2016 Flint Water Crisis.
We have provided the links below so you can find further information:
Community Foundation of Greater Flint