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Operation H2O sends truckloads of water to Flint

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Buffalo has proved time and time again it really is a City of Good Neighbors.

"We collected over 200,000 bottles of water," said Reverend Darius Pridgen.

Efforts to collect clean water for Flint, Michigan started as a Facebook post but Operation H2O took a huge turn during the week. People throughout western New York flooded True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo with hundreds of cases of water.

"They keep arriving," said Pridgen. "It's exciting."

Volunteers started loading the trucks at eight Friday morning and took off for Flint as soon as they were packed.

Shelley Wilson said her and her son are making the trip because she couldn't sit back and do nothing.

"I hope what we're doing helps," said Wilson. "I know it's just a Band-Aid over the problem. I hope that whoever is responsible for this is held responsible for this."

Shelley and her son weren't the only parent-child duo making the trip to Michigan.

Marvis Cunningham was loading busses with water with his daughter Tayonna.

"It hurts your heart to think that people don't have water to bathe or have water to do the things that we take for granted here," said Cunningham. "This is small compared to what they really need."

Cunningham's daughter feels the same and that's why she wanted to go with him.

"I feel kind of sad just like my dad," she said.

According to the Washington Postearlier this month a state of emergency was declared in Flint, after studies found high levels of lead in children's blood caused by drinking toxic water.

Companies like ROAR Logistics, the Buffalo Bisons and other stepped up to help True Bethel with some big donations.

"We have committed that we will move every case of water that comes through these doors," said Robert Rich III the president of ROAR Logistics. "So far we're up to three truckloads of water."

Hundreds of cases still have to make their way to Flint. Another shipment will leave from Buffalo next week.

If you'd like to help visit True Bethel here.

 

 
 

 

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