Agencies working together to share water with those in need

With Lethbridge in the midst of a summer heat wave, community agencies are working together to ensure our city’s most vulnerable stay hydrated. Currently local food banks are holding a water drive to satisfy the need for safe water in the heat of the summer.

During the summer, local food banks collect and store donated bottled water. A group of nine community partners then ensure it gets distributed to those who need it most.  Executive director of the Interfaith Food Bank Danielle McIntyre says the water program fills an important need in the community.

“Lethbridge consistently experiences situations where individuals and families are not always able to escape the heat. So it’s important that our groups work together to be able to make sure that if we can’t escape the heat, we can at least keep people hydrated,” she says.

McIntyre says local individuals, businesses and even community groups support the program with donations of water and money. The Interfaith Food Bank and  the Lethbridge Food Bank collect and store the water donations, which are matched by the City of Lethbridge up to a total of $5,000. McIntyre says donations of bottled water tend to increase when it gets hot, but tens of thousands of bottles will be needed throughout the summer.

“We knew the heat was coming. And so we have seen some people who annually participate with this, bringing in their donations. We’re hoping that we will see an influx over the next few weeks because I don’t think that we are going to see a reprieve from the Heat any time soon,” she says

The bottled water program will continue throughout the summer.