World Water Day

Every Child Should Have Access to Clean Water

	Dania is often sick from drinking the contaminated river water, but it is her only water source.
Related Item: Watch Dania's Search for Water

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 19, 2015) – Locating and maintaining a fresh water source is no easy task for the poor living in undeveloped communities throughout the world. But it’s especially difficult for children, young girls in particular, who often are assigned the task of collecting water for their families. In many cases, children must walk miles to gather water that may appear clean, but is filled with harmful and potentially deadly bacteria.

Millions around the world will be celebrating the 22nd annual World Water Day on March 22, which began in 1993 to bring attention to a different water issue every year. The 2015 theme for World Water Day is “Water and Sustainable Development.”  Water is at the core of sustainable development, reducing poverty, stimulating economic growth and environmental sustainability. 

Clean water prevents diseases and provides young girls with an opportunity to go to school and get an education.

Near the Nicaraguan town of Ocotal, located northwest of Managua, lives Dania. She’s a little girl who walks down a steep mountain every day to collect water from hand-dug watering holes near the banks of Rio Coco River. The water Dania collects is contaminated with bacteria and parasites that often make her sick, but it’s her only water source.

“Most of us would never collect water from a local canal or nearby pond for daily usage. We certainly wouldn’t drink it or give it to our children. The thought is incomprehensible, but for many throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, their water source isn’t much better,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “Proper sanitation and access to clean drinking water should to be available for everyone. Food For The Poor is committed to providing the poor we serve with this precious resource.”

Since 1998, Food For The Poor has completed more than 1,943 water projects, which include wells, cisterns, tanks, distribution systems, and water treatment units throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

To view a short video of Dania’s story, please click www.foodforthepoor.org/water.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Providing safe, clean water for families: Food For The Poor’s Water Week 2012 campaign

Many living in developed countries do not give much thought to their daily water use for cooking, cleaning or even drinking. They simply head to the nearest sink and turn on the faucet.

As World Water Day celebrates its 19th year on March 22, Food For The Poor will launch its third annual Water Week fundraising campaign, March 18 through March 25. During this weeklong donation drive, the ministry will partner with local participating restaurants and businesses to raise money for water filtration units, water wells and pumps.

According to the World Health Organization, 11 percent of the world’s population or around 783 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Many initiatives to supply the world with access to clean water have been successful, but sadly this precious resource remains out of reach for far too many people. By supporting Water Week 2012 you will be helping to provide a community with safe drinking water. It only takes a little bit to make a big difference.

Businesses participating in Water Week are:

Bamboo Wok, 4660 W Hillsboro Blvd # 3, Coconut Creek
Dunkin’ Donuts, 4660 W Hillsboro Blvd # 1, Coconut Creek
Salon Natasha, 4660 W Hillsboro Blvd # 4, Coconut Creek
Dryclean USA, 4660 W Hillsboro Blvd # 2, Coconut Creek
Dryclean USA, Lakeside Square Plaza 11640 Palmetto Park Rd Suite 101, Boca Raton Dryclean USA, Keystone Plaza 10450 Wiles Road, Coral Springs
Dryclean USA, Countryside Plaza 5668 South Flamingo Road, Cooper City
Dryclean USA, Parkview Square 17161 S.W. 172nd Ave., Miramar
LaBrasa, 4201 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Coconut Creek
Aunt I’s,101111 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines
Island In The Pines, 162 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines
Finger Lickin’s, 11244 Pines Blvd. Pembroke Pines
Cool Running’s, 9977 Miramar Pkwy, Miramar
El Atlakat, 8986 Taft Street, Pembroke Pines
The Promenade, 4443 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek

• 160 Degrees & Muffuletta
• Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza
• Crepe Maker
• Red Rock Oasis

“The critical need of clean drinking water became even more urgent during the height of the cholera outbreak that impacted Haiti nine months after the January 2010 earthquake,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “The waterborne disease has claimed more than 7,000 lives and has sickened hundreds of thousands. There’s growing concern that with this year’s rainy season we’ll see an increase of new cholera cases, but we’re taking every step possible to prevent this from happening.”

Since the earthquake, Food For The Poor has installed 45 water filtration units, which produce 10,000 gallons of clean drinking water a day in various locations in the Artibonite region of Haiti. Last year, the organization completed 175 water projects throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

Patrons visiting participating businesses are being asked to remember those who do not have access to clean drinking water and to donate toward this life-saving resource. Funds collected during Water Week will be used to provide clean water for families and communities in Central American and the Caribbean.

In developing countries, children like 11-year-old Carmelina must forge treacherous paths just to fetch a single drink of water. To see a 5 minute video of Camelina’s story click on link: www.FoodForThePoor.org/water. To learn more about Water Week and to see a complete list of participating Water Week businesses, click on www.FoodForThePoor.org/waterweek.

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Wanda Wright
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6079
wandaw@foodforthepoor.com

Take a sip, save a life 2011

Climate change, disease and natural disasters are all taking a toll on the world’s clean water supply, making this life-sustaining liquid nearly impossible to obtain for some in developing countries.

"Every 20 seconds, a young child either dies or becomes deathly ill from ingesting dirty or contaminated water in some parts of the world," said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. "Many of us don’t give much thought about the water we use, when we want it, we go to the sink and turn on the faucet. But millions don’t have this luxury – their water source is typically a murky ravine. Others are forced to walk miles, several times a day, to get to a clean water source."

Ten water purification and filtration units are currently in the process of being installed in the Cap-Haiten region of northern Haiti. In 2010, Food For The Poor completed 188 water projects throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, including 110 water wells and 30 water purification and filtration units in the Artibonite region of Haiti in response to the cholera outbreak.

Food For The Poor is on a mission to provide clean drinking water to the countries it serves in the Caribbean and Latin America. As World Water Day celebrates its 19th year on March 22, the charity will launch its second annual Water Week fundraiser, March 20 through March 27. During this weeklong donation drive, Food For The Poor will partner with local participating restaurants to raise money for water filtration units, water wells and pumps.

Here's how Water Week works: patrons visit a participating restaurant and are served a glass of water. The restaurant staff then offers their patrons the opportunity to donate $1 or more for the glass of water.

You can help Food For The Poor save lives by visiting the following participating restaurants: Islands In The Pines, 162 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines; El Atlakat, 8986 Taft Street, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024; Golden Krust, 12316 Miramar Parkway, Miramar; Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, The Promenade at Coconut Creek, 4425 Lyons Road Suite F-106, Coconut Creek; Allegria, The Promenade at Coconut Creek 4431 Lyons Road, Suite C1-106, Coconut Creek; and 160 Degrees/Muffuletta, The Promenade at Coconut Creek, 4437 Lyons Road Suite E-105 Coconut Creek.

To see a complete list of participating Water Week restaurants, and to donate to this life-saving cause, visit www.foodforthepoor.org/help/events/water. To add your restaurant to the list of participants please contact Wanda Wright at wandaw@foodforthepoor.com.

Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor.

For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Contact:
Wanda Wright
Food For The Poor
Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6079
wandaw@foodforthepoor.com