Hydration Highlight: Closing out the Mesa Hydration Drive
Over the past 17 years, the Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign has made a tremendous impact, donating more than 5.2 million bottles of water to those in need. The City of Mesa, along with nonprofit agencies and businesses, comes together every year to collect these bottles of water, which are then distributed through the United Food Bank to various agencies throughout the valley, including A New Leaf, Paz de Cristo, and Mesa United Way. As the heat of this summer cools into autumn, the 17th annual Mesa Hydration Drive comes to a close. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate this community effort than to share the heartwarming story of one of our recent donations.
The hydration campaign was launched this year with a clear purpose in mind: to help Mesa collect 700,000 water bottles to assist the community. While the initial count stood short of the target at only 230,000 bottles, one resident was not going to let the community be discouraged. Brisa, a Mesa teenager, took it upon herself to lead a water bottle donation drive to help the city reach its goal. She set up a water bottle drive with a personal goal of an impressive 10,000 bottles, equivalent to 250 cases. Brisa rallied her church community and neighbors to chip in, yielding over 300 cases of water. With unwavering determination and the support, Brisa’s initiative achieved remarkable success.
In total, a staggering 10,655 water bottles were collected and transported to the United Food Bank. This impressive haul was made possible with the help of four trucks and a trailer, highlighting the immense impact of
collective action and the generosity of Mesa’s residents. This initiative not only demonstrates the incredible power of a united community but also serves as a shining example of how a single individual’s dedication can inspire change. Brisa’s dedication has not only helped shrink the gap between the initial goal and the collected donations but has also brought hope to countless individuals who will benefit from clean, safe drinking water. Her hard work will go a long way to aiding those most vulnerable in the extreme heat of Arizona.
As the final numbers are tallied for 2023, the Hydration Drive has collected over 350,000 bottles of water in addition to raising over $16,000 which is equal to over 100,000 water bottles. This year the campaign also helped with the installation of hydration stations around the community. Though we may not have reached the goal of physical water bottles, the combination of bottles, monetary donations, and hydration has still left a significant impact.
If you would like to support the City of Mesa through a donation, more information can be found here: https://give.unitedfoodbank.org/campaign/2023-mesa-hydration-drive/c482350. Water bottle drop off locations can also be found here: https://www.mesaaz.gov/things-to-do/volunteer/hydration-donation.
Written by KC Raguay
