5 Ways You Can Help Flint, Michigan Amid The Water Crisis

The residents of Flint, Michigan, are facing anunprecedented water crisis as their sinks, bathtubs and water hoses have been gushing lead-contaminated water for more than a year.

“It’s a disaster,” Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan told the National Journal.

In April 2014, the city began tapping the polluted Flint River for water to cut costsinstead of using Detroit's supply from Lake Huron. Almost two years later, the Flint mayor says they are facing a $1.5 billion tab to fix it.  The residents of Flint, Michigan, are facing anunprecedented water crisis as their sinks, bathtubs and water hoses have been gushing lead-contaminated water for more than a year.

“It’s a disaster,” Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan told the National Journal.

In April 2014, the city began tapping the polluted Flint River for water to cut costsinstead of using Detroit's supply from Lake Huron. Almost two years later, the Flint mayor says they are facing a $1.5 billion tab to fix it.  Children exposed to lead poisoning can experience permanent damage, according to the World Health Organization. Lead can seriously affect children’s cognitive and physical development, leading to issues from lower IQs and aggression problems, to anemia and kidney dysfunction.

In response, groups on the ground are making a real difference as they organize to bring safe, clean water to Flint residents.

Here’s how you can help support the Flint Community during this state of emergency: 

1. Donate To The People Bringing Clean Water To Flint Families

The United Way of Genesee County has set up a dedicated Flint Water Fund. 100 percent of the money donated goes to buying filters and bottled water for Flint residents, as well as other emergency support services and prevention efforts.

“Communities go through various kinds of crises and challenges,” Jamie Gaskin, the CEO of United Way, told Lansing State Journal. “Everyone is trying to find their way forward in the best way we can.”

According to the Fund’s website, they have already sourced more than 10,000 filter systems, and are paying a driver for daily filter and water distributions.

2. Support The Researchers Keeping The Public Informed

The Flint Water Study is an independent research team at Virginia Tech. The scientists volunteer their time to study Flint’s tap water and inform residents of lead levels and their impacts through an online repository of data and information.

The group collects lead kits from Flint residents and have analyzed hundreds so far, according to their website. They then call to inform residents with “considerably high” lead in their water. 

To support the Flint Water Study, donate to their GoFundMe campaign.

3. Fund The Organizations Supporting Critical Public Health Services

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) is asking for nationwide donations to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund. Funds will support “public health, medical and community-based services” to address the impact of the water crisis on Flint families.

“If there was ever a time to invest in our children, it is now,” said Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha in a press release for the CFGF.

Dr. Hanna-Attisha helped expose the Flint water crisis, according to Democracy Now, by heading the September study that revealed elevated lead-levels in the blood of children under five in Flint. Even as state officials dismissed her findings, she continued to demand action.

4. Live In Flint? Bring Cash And Water Directly To Those Who Are Helping

Flint Community Schools accepts both cash donations and bottled water, according to Lansing State Journal. You can make a donation to your neighborhood school on weekdays or call the district’s finance office at 810-767-6030. To schedule a bottled water drop off, contact 810-760-1310.  

The Flint Community Schools will be partnering with several organizations to help recycle the thousands of bottles of water they use during the Flint water crisis,according to MLive.com.

"As our students, teachers and staff get through this water crisis, they have also been mindful of the need to recycle empty water bottles," said Flint Community Schools Superintendent, Bilal Tawwab, in a media release.

The Catholic Charities of Genesee County are also accepting cases of water, filter kits, cash or checks at the Center for Hope, 517 E. Fifth Ave., Flint. They distribute the clean water to families and individuals in need, as supplies allow.

“The health of our neighbors is a top priority,” said Vicky Schultz, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, in a press release. “I encourage those who wish to make contributions to call the Center for Hope at 810-232-9950, ext. 325.”

5. Rather Not Give Money? Call On Gov. Snyder To Help Residents

Michigan residents are signing a petition on Change.org by the thousands, demanding that Governor Snyder stop making Flint residents pay for contaminated water. The residents of Flint receive water bills that average $140 a month, according to the Flint Journal, for water that contains high levels of lead and could be damaging to their children’s health.

“Flint residents should not have to pay for poisoned water,” the petition reads. “No more shut-offs. No more poisoned water!”

You can join the more than 1,100 supporters who have added their names to the petition since it was started on Sunday night.

The Fastest Way To Achieve Success Is To First Help Others Succeed

Here are five ways that everyone can help others to succeed, and in turn find greater success themselves:

Pay attention to the details of other people’s lives.

When you make the effort to remember the important details of others’ lives, such as their spouse’s name, their children, their hobbies, etc. your ability to be a positive impact in their life increases tremendously. It lets the other person know how important they are to you. It lets them know that you truly care about their life. The more a person knows that you genuinely care about them, the more they will in turn move heaven and earth to help you with the things you want. And with the contact tracking tools available on our electronic devices today, it is incredibly simple to make quick notes about people so your memory can always be fresh.

Help people connect by sharing your network with others.

Be willing to introduce people to others you know who can help advance or forward their goals. When you have a networking event to attend, invite people to come with you that could benefit from expanding their network as well. The more you open up your network to others, the more you will find your own network expanding, and you might just be amazed at the incredible contacts you end up receiving from the most unlikely people.

Inspiring a person is worth far more than motivating a person.

You can motivate an employee with a raise, or a fancy title, and for a period of time they will feel motivated to work harder to show their appreciation. But after a little time passes they begin to forget the additional money and the fancier title because those have now become the “norm” and you’ll find that, once again, they are back to needing added motivation to take their performance to the next level. On the other hand if you inspire an employee by treating them with respect and frequently letting them know, in a sincere way, just how much you appreciate them and the contribution they are making, you will find that they are constantly motivated to continually increase their efforts on an ongoing basis. Inspiring others is the ultimate form of perpetual motivation.

Give honest feedback in a respectful and constructive way.

This is one of the most difficult things for people to learn to do well. Many people don’t like confronting issues and would rather dance around them, while those who do like confrontation often aren’t respectful or constructive in the way they give it. But those who can learn the skill of giving honest and open feedback in a constructive and uplifting way can have a tremendous impact on improving the lives of others. One trick that has helped me with giving good feedback is to always make sure that I am walking into the conversation with the mindset of truly caring about this person and wanting to genuinely help them to improve. If I go into the conversation with that motivation then my words naturally come out better. The more you give feedback to helps others improve, the more you will find that they will, in turn, open up to you and give you feedback that helps you to improve as well.

You have to be willing to put the needs of others first, even when it means you have to overlook your own wants.

“Marine leaders are expected to eat last because the true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own.” –Simon Sinek.

This particular point can be one of the most intimidating things to actually do because in the moment it feels so counterintuitive to put others needs above your own when doing so appears to require you to set aside your own desires. But as counterintuitive as it sounds, the fact is that it genuinely works. Perhaps not instantly, but over time it eventually leads to getting you everything you want and more. I can say this with absolute conviction because I have seen it in my own life. As a CEO I found that the more I focused on helping my employees to personally succeed both in their professional and personal lives, the more my entire company succeeded – and as a result, I personally succeeded far more than I ever would have imagined.

~Amy Rees Anderson http://www.forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2016/01/06/the-fastest-way-to-achieve-success-is-to-first-help-others-succeed/

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