A Catholic Charities employee and her volunteers held their third annual “Hydrate the Homeless Water Drive” over the weekend in the parking lot of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church.
Over 400 cases of bottled water and more than $400 was donated to the group, which will benefit the charity’s Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program that aims to provide services to homeless persons.
“It’s amazing to see how the community really comes together,” said Susan Harris, PATH homeless outreach specialist, employed by Catholic Charities in Bullhead City.
According to Harris, the group hosts water drives twice a year – in June and December – for the purpose of distributing them to homeless camps around Mohave County at various times throughout the year.
Money donated to the group during the drive will be used toward bottled water supplies when they run out, added the Lake Havasu City resident.
Distributing water, not only, helps homeless persons living in the desert stay hydrated, but allows Harris and her volunteers a chance to introduce themselves to newcomers and extend to them other services provided by the program.
Housing, rehabilitation or mental illness services, among others, are services that PATH provides to homeless persons, according to Harris.
“I think if you find yourself in a situation where you are ever homeless and you need something, it’s nice to know that something like Catholic Charities can help you out,” said Peggy Douthit, who has been a volunteer since last year.
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church has been sponsoring Harris and her volunteers since 2015 and will continue to do so until 2019, she said, allowing them to collect donations from their parking lot as long as they announce it to the Parish a week in advance.
A majority of their donors on Sunday were churchgoers arriving for scheduled services throughout the morning, said Harris.