The lethal floods that swept by way of japanese Kentucky final month left many with out entry to water. LifeStraw stepped as much as ship support and now needs your assist to assist out.
July’s excessive rainfall prompted widespread destruction in Kentucky, killing 37 folks. As residents battle to manage and rebuild, they face a brand new drawback: lack of entry to wash water.
Flooding destroyed a lot of the area’s water supply infrastructure, the Washington Submit reported, leaving many households with out entry to shelter, meals, electrical energy, or potable water.
Now, water air purifier firm LifeStraw needs your assist in aiding Kentuckians in want.
LifeStraw has already shipped greater than 3,700 particular person, family, and high-volume purifiers to the area, in accordance with a press launch. However organizers need to do extra.
The corporate has partnered with the USDA and grassroots efforts to ship extra filters. “Assist us attain extra households!” LifeStraw mentioned in a press launch.
LifeStraw’s $20,000 Purpose
LifeStraw has began a GoFundMe marketing campaign by way of its nonprofit, the LifeStraw Secure Water Fund.
As of Thursday, the Secure Water Fund for Kentucky — a subsidiary of the broader-reaching fund — had raised almost $8,000 from 113 donations. However LifeStraw needs to succeed in a purpose of $20,000 as a result of many extra folks nonetheless want clear water.
The flooding and continued rains knocked out houses, roads, important energy strains, and water utilities in 5 counties. Many communities stay determined, utilizing springs, swimming swimming pools, and flood water for his or her water wants, LifeStraw mentioned.
Within the worst-hit areas, flooding utterly washed away water strains. It might be months or longer earlier than employees can change them, and a few cities don’t even understand how they’ll pay for repairs.
In August, LifeStraw despatched a number of folks to japanese Kentucky to distribute the filters and assist reduction efforts. That included the corporate’s CEO, Alison Hill.
“It was an emotional reminder that responding to emergencies and displaying up when communities are struggling for entry to protected ingesting water is core to the LifeStraw staff,” Hill mentioned.
“It’s extra than simply donating and sending merchandise. It’s about working aspect by aspect with the neighborhood to point out up for households, asking what they want, listening to what’s important to them and doing what we will to make it occur.”
Name for Provides
Along with cash for filters, LifeStraw has known as on companies to donate wanted provides.
The objects Kentucky residents most want embody tents, photo voltaic lighting, and coolers, as most households have misplaced energy and refrigeration. Different wanted provides embody children’ footwear, sleeping luggage, camp stoves, underwear, feminine hygiene merchandise, diapers, and child system.
Companies all for donating provides to flood victims can contact LifeStraw’s Social Influence Supervisor, Tara MacDowell, at tlm@lifestraw.com.
People all for donating can contribute to the Secure Water Fund for Kentucky. LifeStraw added that 100% of the cash the fund collects goes towards the price of manufacturing and distributing its filters for catastrophe reduction within the space.
