Red Hook’s Summit Academy collects water for Flint, by Kimberly Gail Price

Summit Academy Charter School is collecting water that will be sent directly to Flint, Michigan, where the water supply has been contaminated since early 2014. “Sharing is caring,” the school wrote in a Facebook post. “Help us help our brothers and sisters in Michigan.”

The initiative started with Devon Smith, a Park Slope resident and neighbor to Summit’s Executive Founder, Natasha Campbell. “We’ve got to take care of each other,” Smith said.

Smith is no stranger to collecting for a cause. After Hurricane Sandy, he organized a clothing and canned good drive for affected neighborhoods. During the recent snowstorm Jonah, he collected blankets and socks and drove around passing them out to those in need.

This time, even though the crisis is not within Brooklyn’s borders, he believes in the importance of contributing. Campbell agreed. She took the initiative to her colleagues, teachers and students. They will be collecting bottled water, baby wipes and monetary donations to be taken directly to Flint.

“Part of our mission as a school is to be supportive of community,” Campbell said. She explained that this isn’t just limited to her own community. “We place a premium on community, not just Red Hook, but the community at large.”

About a month ago, Smith started reading about the water crisis in Michigan. The town of Flint is home to about 100,000 people – and 6,000 children. He decided he could help.

Smith takes great pride in being from New York. He also has a network of people who are willing to help out. He started NY Cares about Flint. He passed out flyers around his neighborhood. He asked his employers to help. He started an online fundraiser to raise money for transport the collected donations. He asked for help on social media.

The response to Smith’s collection requests was successful. Children’s Law Center, a nonprofit firm that represents children in the legal system, sent out emails to all of their employees in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens requesting donations. He has 7 collection sites throughout Brooklyn, including Summit Academy. His online fundraiser has $1,215 in donations in a little over a week.

At Summit, Campbell is joining the cause full force. Flyers went out in scholar’s backpacks. The PTA will be bringing donations at their next meeting.

“We may only collect 50 or 60 cases,” Campbell says, “but that’s 50-60 cases that can go down to Flint.” So far the school has about 5 cases that have been brought in from students. They are collecting through February 12, and expect to receive quite a few more.
Smith is asking for donations of bottled water, water purifiers and baby wipes. He is corresponding with the Red Cross and a church to find out the basic needs.

These places will also serve as points of distribution.
Smith is also collecting cash through his distribution points. He will use the cash to make one bulk purchase for supplies before embarking on his journey to Flint on February 19.

Smith is delivering the goods himself because he feels it is important to have “boots on the ground.” He is determined to be the face behind the project “so [the people of Flint] know they aren’t forgotten. We need to go over there to figure out what the people need.”
Smith called his New York campaign “a short-term solution to a problem that is long term.” After his trip this month, Smith plans to visit Flint again in the near future – maybe as early as next month.

Summit is collecting bottled water and baby wipes at 27 Huntington Street, Room 251.

Cash donations can be made there as well, or online at www.crowdrise.com/nycaresaboutflint. All proceeds will go directly to help the people of Flint. For more information, contact Natasha Campbell at [email protected] or Devon Smith at [email protected].