Image courtesy RVA Community Fridges
In May, when some Richmonders lost drinking water for a second time this year, local nonprofits jumped in to help.
RVA Community Fridges stocked pickup sites across the city with bottled water.
“As soon as we hear about it, we usually let our volunteers know, like, ’Hey, if you have the opportunity to grab water from a store near you, please do,’” founder Taylor Scott says.
Effective communication about May’s crisis was crucial, Scott adds. On Instagram, the group regularly shared updates about the city’s boil water advisory and where to get drinking water.
The city itself shared several Instagram stories from the Richmond chapter of the American Red Cross. As part of city efforts to deliver bottled water to its residents, dozens of volunteers collected and distributed cases to high-demand areas, such as senior and children’s centers, shelters, and schools. Regional Communications Director Jonathan McNamara says the Red Cross regularly works with the city and other local emergency management teams to be prepared for any disaster, including a boil water advisory.
“The city’s team was incredibly timely in terms of notifying the Red Cross that there was a need,” McNamara says. “Their communication throughout was outstanding in making sure that all parties had a real, clear understanding of what was needed [and] what their role was going to be, and then it was executed in a manner which allowed for an efficient delivery of services to the city so that all parties could feel that the residents were getting what they need.
“It felt good knowing that we could respond on such a quick notice, so that people in the city didn’t have to wait for the help that they needed.” McNamara adds.
