GREENFIELD — A Greenfield woman with family ties to Flint, Michigan, is organizing water donations to the city, where residents continue feeling the effects of a water crisis that began five years ago.
Angi Ficarra of Greenfield has been keeping up with her Flint family members about persistent water issues there. After the city changed its water source to the Flint River in 2014, insufficient treatment practices allowed lead from the water system’s pipes to leach into the supply, eventually igniting a public health state of emergency.
Flint reports its water has been meeting federal standards for about two years, and the city continues replacing its lead pipes. But many residents still rely on bottled water.
Ficarra said she sympathizes with Flint residents seeking bottled water, especially the elderly and those with no transportation.
“When I read (social media) posts about the water shortages from my cousins in Flint, I realized that something has to change,” Ficarra said in an email.
Ficarra took to social media in late April seeking donations. She ended up raising enough money to get 250 cases of water from Kroger, who helped on the price. The donations also funded a truck rental and gas to transport the contributions, which included an additional 200 cases Ficarra picked up from donors or that were dropped off at her place of employment, Another Hair Salon in Greenfield.
Ficarra, her parents and a friend transported 260 of the cases to an apartment complex in Flint last month. She plans to deliver more soon.
She continues to accept donations. Donors can drop off water cases, gallons, five-gallon refills and financial contributions to the cause at Another Hair Salon, 313 S. State St., Greenfield. Ficarra will also pick up donations from those who reach out to her at [email protected]. She’ll accept donations through June 12. Ficarra is seeking volunteers to help transport the water as well.
She said she appreciates the contributors showing that Flint is not forgotten.
Melissa Mays, a water activist living in Flint whose husband is Ficarra’s cousin, said she appreciates that as well.
“It was something nice for us because we keep hearing, ‘After the Flint water crisis’ and ‘In the wake of the Flint water crisis,’ but it’s still going on,” Mays said.
Mays, who has been delivering water to homebound Flint residents since 2015, said she recommended the apartment complex that Greenfield’s donations went to because it has issues with filters fitting on taps and because of the building’s abundance of elderly and disabled tenants.
Issues abound despite officials’ claims that Flint’s water supply is safe, Mays said.
“We can’t trust testing from the people who did this to us,” she said.
While the city is replacing its lead pipes, residents are responsible for replacing the ones from their homes to the system, Mays continued. She doesn’t drink city water or even use it to brush her teeth. When she showers, the water smells like burned hair and causes her skin to break out. On top of it all, her water bills have risen, she said.
Janet Mays, Ficarra’s mother, accompanied her on the trip to Flint last month.
“It’s hard to believe that all the problems are still happening,” she said.
Antonio Gates of Greenfield, a friend of Ficarra’s, donated to her cause and drove the rented truck to Flint. He said he’s been keeping up with news on the city’s struggles and hopes others would do the same for him if he were ever to experience a similar hardship.
“I would hate to be in that situation,” Gates said. “Helping somebody else is always a good thing.”
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Water donations for Flint, Michigan and financial contributions can be dropped off at Another Hair Salon, 313 S. State St., Greenfield, or by emailing Angi Ficarra at [email protected] to have them picked up. Ficarra will accept donations through June 12. She is seeking volunteers to help transport the water as well.
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