A record number of donations from residents and businesses helps Mesa shatter its Hydration Campaign goal, allowing more people to get water during the hot desert summer. The campaign, which started on June 1 and ended on Oct. 1, collected701,257 bottles of water, breaking the goal of 400,000. Since 2007, the campaign has collected more than five million bottles. The campaign has seen significant increases in donations over the years. In 2009, the total was just over 60,000.
"The Hydration Donation Campaign shows that Mesa is a community filled with caring people who are willing to come together to support a tremendous cause," said Mayor John Giles. "I am extremely grateful to everyone who donated during the extreme summer heat to help those in need."
Mesa Fire and Medical Department, United Food Bank, Paz de Cristo, A New Leaf, Mesa Chamber of Commerce and several City, nonprofit and business partners collected water donations.
"I never cease to be amazed by the community's response during the Hydration Donation Campaign. It shows when you put a call to action in Mesa, the residents, businesses and community organizations step up and deliver," said Dave Richins, United Food Bank President and CEO.
Collection highlights during the campaign include:
Boeing employees donated $10,000 for the purchase of thousands of bottles of water.
Eastmark residents donated 84,965 bottles surpassing their goal of 65,000.
City of Mesa employees collected nearly 33,500 bottles of water during a Community Spirit donation drive the final weeks of the campaign.
Mesa resident Amanda Ferguson, through her Bottles for Bill non-profit organization, collected 90,014 bottles. Bottles for Bill was formed in honor of her brother, Bill Grimmer, an Army veteran who died of heat exhaustion in the Arizona desert in 2013.
The Mesa One Ton Challenge, encouraged businesses, residents, and organizations to buy a pallet of water, which weighs more than one ton. It included donations from several groups who helped Norris Air (10,041 bottles) and donations from American Legion Post 26 (13,104 bottles) and the Mesa Rotary Club (27,872 bottles).
"I am really proud of the business community getting behind this life-saving effort with friendly competitions like the One Ton Water Challenge to collect cases of water and help so many people in need this summer," said Sally Harrison, President and CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
The donated water is distributed by United Food Bank to numerous nonprofit organizations in Mesa and throughout the valley including Paz de Cristo and A New Leaf-East Valley Men's Center.
Contact: Ana Pereira
(480) 644-2069
Ana.Pereira@mesaaz.gov