RCAP Hosts Agua4All Event Celebrating Access to Safe Drinking Water in lead-impacted Michigan Schools
Benton Harbor, Michigan (January 31, 2023) – Students, teachers and administrators will gather on January 31st at Benton Harbor High School to celebrate the installation of ten filtered drinking water bottle filling stations in district schools and receive reusable water bottles which will help the district’s 1,626 students have renewed access to lead-free drinking water and stay hydrated in the classroom and on the field.
The event is hosted by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) and their Great Lakes partner, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP), as part of the Agua4All program. Funding for the bottles, filling stations and filtration was provided by the Chris Long Foundation’s HometownH20 program and Liquid I.V. Two-time Super Bowl Champion and Walter Payton Man of the Year Chris Long will greet students via video, imparting to them that “clean water shouldn’t be seen as a luxury. It’s a basic human right.” He also states that this “investment in your hydration is not only ensuring that you have access to clean water; it’s also setting you up for success.”
“We are excited to be part of providing clean and safe drinking water to the students of Benton Harbor so they can stay hydrated and healthy,” said Jason Laney, Senior Rural Development Specialist at GLCAP, who has been working with the school district to set up the program.