Text2Give gives West Virginians quick way to donate after disaster

August 11, 2015

For the first time – after a state of emergency was declared due to a water crisis in West Virginia – Catholic Charities West Virginia was able to provide a quick, effective method for local residents to respond to a disaster by accepting cash donations through text messaging.

Funds raised through the text2give campaign supported food distributions and deliveries of water, baby formula, and personal hygiene products.

A chemical leak into West Virginia’s Elk River on January 9, 2014, created the water crisis that affected over 300,000 American Water customers in Kanawha, Putnam, Logan, Lincoln, Boone, Jackson, Roane, and parts of Cabell and Clay Counties.

The staff of the Western Region of Catholic Charities worked throughout the weekend providing disaster relief work and helping low-income families in need of costly bottled water and supplies.

CCWVa partnered with the United Way Central West Virginia to assist those who lost wages due to the water crisis, and collaborated with state and local officials and West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) to provide chemical disaster relief in the affected counties.

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