NORTHFIELD — A local resident, moved by the Flint, Mich., water crisis, recently raised about $1,525 to buy bottled water and other supplies for the victims.
Devin Donohoe, a post-bachelor student at Elms College in Chicopee, hosted a fundraiser for the First Catholic Charities of Genesee County, a Michigan-based charity.
“Our plan was to raise awareness of the Flint water crisis and raise money to support the people of Flint by utilizing social networking sites, creating fliers and posters and working with local stores and churches to display donation boxes for their patrons,” explained Donohoe. “We want to let people of Flint know that people do care and that we are sending positive thoughts throughout this difficult time by uniting the Elms community and other communities.”
The water crisis is the result of corroded pipes that flooded the water with dangerous levels of lead, leaving the people of Flint without access to clean water.
“They are not able to complete daily tasks without great anxiety and children are continuously in risk,” said Donohoe.
According to First Catholic Charities of Genesee County, lead levels in some areas are so high that water filters have been rendered ineffective and people are forced to use bottled water. The average American family of four uses 400 gallons of water daily.