The Ninth Annual Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign is underway with a goal of collecting 400,000 bottles of water to help the homeless and unsheltered during the extreme summer heat.
"The campaign is a life saver for the less fortunate during the hot summer months. Our residents have been generous in donating bottles of water in previous years and I know they are ready to do so again this year," Mesa Mayor John Giles said.
A news conference to launch the campaign was held this morning at United Food Bank, which distributes donated water to numerous nonprofit organizations in Mesa and throughout the valley including Paz De Cristo and A New Leaf-East Valley Men's Center. Last year, a record 392,044 bottles of water were collected for the campaign, surpassing the goal of 375,000.
"The Hydration Donation Campaign makes it simple to help the vulnerable in our community. For less than five dollars, Mesans can buy a case of water, so the donation will definitely save lives over the next few months as temperatures soar," United Food Bank President and CEO Ginny Hildebrand said.
The Mesa Hydration Donation campaign is a stark reminder of the dangers of summer heat in Arizona, which first responders encounter on a daily basis.
"The risks of dehydration are great for anyone exposed to the triple digit temperatures, especially those who are homeless or don't have a place to easily get out of the sun," Mesa Fire and Medical Engineer/Paramedic Larissa Dvorak said. "Without donations of water, the outcomes of our emergency responses to cases of dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke would be much worse."
Residents can donate water at various drop-off locations throughout the City:
o Mesa Fire Department Volunteer Center
2830 E. Adobe (located behind Fire Station 206 at Lindsay and Adobe)
24-hour drop-off at Volunteer Center door
o Red Mountain Multigenerational Center
7550 E. Adobe
5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday
o Rhodes Aquatics Complex
1860 S. Longmore
1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Monday and Saturday
1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday - Friday
1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday
(Pool open daily through July 26, weekends through Labor Day)
o Mesa Main Library
64 E. First St.
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Thursday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday - Saturday
o United Food Bank
245 S. Nina Drive
6 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
o Paz de Cristo
424 W. Broadway
7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday - Sunday
o A New Leaf - MesaCAN
635 E. Broadway
6 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday in front lobby
o A New Leaf - East Valley Men's Center
2345 N. Country Club Drive
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Daily
o Fiesta Mall - Guest Services and collection bin outside Entrance #3
1445 W. Southern Ave.
10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Saturday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday
o Superstition Springs Center - Guest Services
6555 E. Southern Ave.
10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Saturday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday
o Mesa Chamber of Commerce
40 N. Center St. #104
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
o Mesa Community College - Southern and Dobson
1833 W. Southern Ave.
24-hour drop-off at Public Safety - Building SC 14
o Mesa Community College - Red Mountain
7110 E. McKellips Road
24-hour drop-off at Public Safety - Ironwood Building
o Southern Pavilion Self Storage
7110 E. Southern Ave.
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday
This year, there are several generous special projects and promotions to collect water for the campaign:
o Donating at the Rhodes Aquatics Complex Monday through Friday will provide a two-for-one admission to the pool. This does not include the FlowRider.
o Golfland SunSplash, 155 W. Hampton Ave., is offering Water Wednesday during June and July. Donating a case of water at the park on any Wednesday from June 3 through July 29 will provide a two-for-one waterpark admission. It is not valid with any other coupons or discounts.
o USA-Skateland Mesa, 7 E. Southern Ave., is offering Thirsty Thursdays during June and July. Customers donating a case of water between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on any Thursday from June 4 through July 30 will receive one free admission.
o Customers donating at Fiesta Mall will receive a Fiesta Mall merchandise gift at the time of drop-off.
o Fry's Marketplace, 1935 N. Stapley Drive, allows customers to purchase and donate a case of water at the self-checkout aisle.
The Mesa Chamber of Commerce is encouraging businesses and community groups to organize campaigns to collect water for the campaign.
"The Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign is a great way for businesses, nonprofit groups and other associations to network and organize efforts to collect cases of water," Mesa Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Sally Harrison said. "Last year, the Chamber of Commerce organized friendly competitions to get water donations and help a great life-saving cause and we are happy to lead the efforts again this summer"
The Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign will be collecting water until Friday, September 18. For more information, contact Mesa Community Revitalization Specialist Deanna Grogan at (480) 644-2320 or deanna.grogan@mesaaz.gov, or visit www.mesaaz.gov/H2Omesa.
Public Information & Communications
Contact: Kevin Christopher
Tel. 480-644-4699
kevin.christopher@mesaaz.gov