As news of the Flint, Mich. water crisis spread, it struck a personal chord with Kalamazoo-based Educational Community Credit Union's Branch Assistant Rebecca Williams. She organized a donation of 4,000 bottles of water to those in need.

Williams' friend, a Flint resident, had been sharing on Facebook how her three-year-old daughter had been in and out of the hospital with severe infections, high fevers, even brain surgery – all as a result of the water crisis.

As a mother, Williams wanted to do something. After seeing an incredible deal on bottled water at a local warehouse chain, and catching a news clip about a local company, Sleep Doctor, collecting and delivering water to Flint, she turned to the ECCU Caring Committee for help.

“I didn't know how else to help the people of Flint other than donating clean water,” she said.

The Caring Committee, comprised of seven ECCU staff volunteers who coordinate the annual fundraising efforts among the credit union's employees, immediately sprang into action and purchased 100 cases of bottled water with money from the annual fund. Together, they loaded a truck and a van with the cases and delivered them to Sleep Doctor, which has trucks moving across the state each day.

“It makes me feel good to be able to help out in some way, and to work for an organization that so willingly helps others,” Williams said. “It warms my heart knowing that we were among so many other organizations in the community to donate water to those in need.”

Jennifer Kovick, ECCU Caring Committee chair, agreed.

“To see all of the businesses and schools and churches rally to support people suffering from the water crisis on the other side of the state is really an amazing thing. It's moments like these that restores your faith in humanity,” she said.

Instant Insights /

Flint Water Crisis Spurs ECCU into Action

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