More than 8,500 bottles of water donated to Mesa hydration drive

 When the summer heat rolls in, the need for food and water donations in Arizona gets critical. That’s why this summer Eastmark launched a three-part summer philanthropic initiative to support both the United Food Bank and the 10th Annual Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign.

As desert dwellers, we know summer hydration is essential, but Arizona’s homeless and most vulnerable populations don’t always have access to drinking water. That’s where Mesa’s Hydration Donation Campaign comes in. For 10 years, the city’s hydration drive has collected water bottles for distribution to those in need.

This summer, Team Eastmark set a goal of collecting 7,000 bottles of water to support the campaign, and oh boy did Eastmark residents and local partners step up. More than 8,500 water bottles (that’s eight pallets!) were donated at The ‘Mark this June and July.

Thank you to everyone who donated. Special appreciation to the McKelvey, Self and Ong families; Darren Nibbelink and Focus 314 Church; and Rummel Construction for their generous contributions. Team Eastmark, you rock.

And the giving spirit didn’t stop there. Two full donation boxes of food were collected for the United Food Bank’s Christmas in July campaign. Plus, Eastmark residents Steve Ventre, Adeola Oke, Allison and Rob McDowell, and Tricia Moore, headed to the Food Bank on July 9th to help organize boxes of food for distribution.

The United Food Bank is such a vital organization in our state. Since 1983, the Food Bank’s mission has been to serve the most people possible. Through food pantries, meal sites, after-school youth meal programs, mobile food distribution, and the Help Yourself Program, more than 21 million meals have been served to hungry, low-income residents across Arizona. Donations of time and supplies are needed year round, so check out unitedfoodbank.org for more ways to get involved.