Southern Burlington County, Willingboro NAACP Branch Help in Newark Water Crisis
By Clyde Hughes | AC JosepH Media
NEWARK – On Saturday, Aug. 30, the Southern Burlington County NAACP and the Willingboro & Vicinity NAACP collaborated to bring bottled water at drop off sites for Newark residents affected by the city’s tainted water crisis.
The Evesham Township Municipal Complex, the Newark NAACP branch, and the students and staff at the International Youth Organization in Newark all helped in transporting of water to needy citizens.
The Newark water crisis, which has been compared to tainted lead crisis in Flint, Mich., has dated back to 2010 when water tested at some Newark Public Schools found high levels of lead. The current crisis is affecting 15,000 homes where residents are now receiving bottled water until water pipes in the affected area can be replaced.
“The water crisis in Newark is nothing short of a tragedy,” said SBC NAACP president Crystal Charley told Front Runner New Jersey. “While this is certainly not a ‘competition’ the complexity of the problem actually qualifies the Newark crisis as being worse than Flint, Mich.
READ: Crystal Charley Answers Calling With Southern Burlington NAACP
“What’s most unfortunate, is just like Flint, this disproportionately adversely affects Black and brown people, as well as those undeserved large in part because of their socioeconomic status. While the Southern Burlington County NAACP and the NAACP as a whole will do its part to help our brothers and sisters in need, there is also an expectation of the municipal and State governmental leadership will do what is right to rectify this travesty,” she continued.
Charley credited its communications chair Marcus Sibley for his social media efforts that lead to donations, ad Will Weston of the Willingboro branch.
READ: Samantha Whitfield Turns Activism Into Action in Willingboro
“We thank the community for answering the call and donating as well as a special thank you to Evesham Township who instantly stepped up to the plate and partnered for this cause,” Charley said.
Photos courtesy of Southern Burlington County NAACP
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