In Flint, Michigan, the drama surrounding the drinking water contamination crisis continues well into 2016.  After the city of Flint changed its water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to the Flint River, a series of issues arose, culminating in lead contamination of the drinking water supply that has exposed thousands of children to this health hazard.  While Flint grapples with strategies to solve their water disaster, thousands of individuals and groups around the country have responded with an outpouring of aid and support for the Flint community and citizens.

At home in Atlanta, Georgia, nearly 800 miles from Flint, Sherman Residential and The Landings at Princeton Lakes’ team member Aikesha Newborn felt compelled to lend a hand.  After hearing a news story on the local radio about the water crisis half a country away, Aikesha was inspired to use all of the resources she had at her disposal to offer relief to the citizens of Flint.  She began immediately to organize an effort among residents at her apartment community, The Landings at Princeton Lakes, to collect fresh, clean, sanitary bottled water.  “Our residents really showed up in a big way for this” said Property Manager, Nature Darns about the collection efforts,  “Our goal was 50 cases of water when we started getting donations, and we received well beyond our goal.” 

In total, 77 cases of water, over 150% of the original goal, were collected by the site, with 63 cases donated directly by residents and the additional 14 cases donated by the staff.  Even though the management team sent out emails and flyers to residents to encourage their participation in the fundraiser, some of the greatest motivation to donate came from the residents themselves who rallied to the cause.  Some residents were seen encouraging and reminding their neighbors to donate or collecting money that was used to go out and buy bottled water cases from those who may have been unable to do so themselves. 

The Landings team was able to turn Aikesha’s dream into a reality by partnering with a local charity-based non-profit group called Love Beyond Walls to deliver these bottled water donations directly to Flint’s underserved and most in need communities.  Love Beyond Walls volunteers came to the property to load trucks full of the water cases which were then driven directly to aid sites and families in Flint without sufficient access to water or other aid services.  The Landings team has officially partnered with Love Beyond Walls to keep their philanthropic efforts going beyond this single great cause. 

Thank you all for your generosity and compassion!