APWU Donates to Flint

In the wake of the Flint water crisis, the APWU has made a donation to the Flint Child Health & Development Fund.

The water crisis developed after an “emergency manager” appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) switched the source of Flint’s drinking water from Lake Huron to the toxic Flint River in 2014 to cut costs. The water supply was soon contaminated with lead, which causes a multitude of health problems, including cognitive impairments, especially in children.

After the crisis garnered national publicity last month, donations of bottled water flowed in to the city.

The union wanted to find a way to have a long-term effect, said Mike Mize, president of the Flint Area Local APWU and the Michigan Postal Workers Union. “We wanted to give more to the community than a temporary fix,” he explained. He reached out to the national union for support.

On Feb. 23, Mize, along with Roscoe Woods, president of the 480-481 Area Local; Pat Comben, president of the Farmington Local, and Amy Puhalski, president of the Western Michigan Area Local, presented the union's  contribution to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. Hanna-Attisha works in the pediatric ward of Flint’s Hurley Medical Center and has been an outspoken critic of Gov. Snyder’s actions.

The Flint Child Health & Development Fund was established by local community organizations. It will use the money for crisis response, early childhood education, nutrition education, access to infant and child behavioral health services, integrated social services, research, educational and student support services, healthy food access, optimal child health and development, continuous access to a pediatric medical home, and safe and healthy home environments.

In addition, several Michigan locals have made donations to the United Way that are earmarked for the Flint crisis, and have donated dollies and other supplies needed to help distribute clean water.  Contributions have been coming in from locals across the country, Mize said. In January, several Michigan locals passed resolutions calling for Gov. Snyder’s resignation.

“It’s been a great pleasure to be involved in this and to have President Dimondstein act on it as quickly as he did,” Mize said. “It’s very touching, not only as a state president, but as a local president, to see the outpouring support from all over.”