This project is known as the 'No Senior Thirsty Project'. We are a growing group of young adults who assist seniors with their daily hydration needs by providing drinking water delivery. 

 

Since August 2014, this project has proven to promote peace of mind and a sense of security for elderly residents. It's a great resource for physically-challeged seniors who enjoy the independence of living on their own, but don't have friends or family members nearby to check on them and assist regularly.

 

There was a time in America when the elderly were respected and honored…what happened?

 

The fastest growing population is the elderly/seniors - those ages 65 and older. Respect and honor for the elderly means making sure that they are not going without the basic necessity of clean drinking water while they are experiencing physical challenges.

 

Perhaps too many people are busy with updating their Facebook page, or clicking the “like” button on a few posts or photos, or even tweeting something, to notice the many seniors who struggle with getting their drinking water.

 

As informed adults, we are aware of the challenges that many seniors have with getting drinking water into their homes, we are compelled to shed a light on it and mobilize assistance for the seniors that need it.

 

Why do young adults like us, in good health, employed, and college educated, care about the needs of elderly people?

Keep reading and you will find yourself caring too…

 

Based on our research, there are countless programs to preserve trees, save animals, protect mammals, help children, research diseases, and feed the homeless -- all worthy causes -- but I have to ask, who is helping the elderly with the basic necessity of drinking water?

 

If each of us live long enough, we will need help with our basic necessities too. Many people take for granite their good health and either rarely notice or pretend not to notice seniors who are challenged with walking, lifting, reaching or grasping. As young professionals in this demanding business world, we realize that the worldly perspective is to achieve, achieve, achieve!

 

We have noticed that many people want more “success” - often defined as more stuff, more status, more money, more benefits, more fancy cars, more designer clothes, more, more, more!

 

We understand that it seems as though many of us working people are caught up on some sort of ‘career ladder’ or other ‘self-improvement’ that has somehow pitted our interest against the needs of others…we get it. As a human being, there comes a time when you should say to yourself in the midst of conquering your goals, “I will do more for others”.  

 

In fact, in the midst of all our busy lives, we need to remember that the children, teens, and young adults are watching how we deal with life and if we help or ignore people. We must remember that we are examples and the youth are paying attention to the lack of respect ultimately given to the elderly by soicety and many of the youth will repeat that behavior towards others as time goes on.

 

This project provides health-challenged seniors with FREE DRINKING WATER DELIVERY - all of this without the red tape that many of them have went through with other programs - only to be turned away. This project will identify them by word of mouth, referrals from community centers and individuals, and by allowing a senior citizen to simply say “I need help.”

 

This project will not only provide seniors with water, it will also connect younger adult volunteers with seniors – encouraging the seniors in their time of need. Our seniors have given so much of themselves throughout their lives and should not have to worry about getting clean drinking water into their home. Instead of the seniors worrying and trying to figure out a way to get heavy drinking water into their homes, we need to help the seniors with this task. After all, they have raised us, taught us, protected us, fought for us, prayed for us, and sacrificed so much for us. Even in the midst of their physical challenges, many seniors are still giving through mentoring, volunteering and sharing their wisdom of life with others.

 

Why is this project needed? ...in the words of one the Project Founders:

 

"I recently discovered sad living conditions for many senior citizens – they were literally going without drinking water because of their physical challenges and a lack of support from family and friends. I have decided to spread the word and encourage you to be just as outraged as I am…in hope that you will join me and do something about it.

 

After I finished helping with a project involving giving away free shaved ice and bottled water in Phoenix to the homeless, one elderly woman that had a difficult time walking told me that she lives alone and could use some help with getting drinking water to her home because the water was too heavy to lift. She gave me her address and I personally delivered a case of drinking water to her. She began to tell me that she had been in need of water for some time, but the weight of a gallon or case of water was physically too much to handle from the store to her home.

 

I must admit, the first thing that came to my mind was “why can’t this woman’s family help her?” But instead of asking her why family or friends could not help, I asked if she knew of other seniors with physical issues that could use some help with getting drinking water. She said “YES!” with excitement; then she told me about some seniors she knew that live alone and experience varying physical challenges.

 

I asked her if she would be willing to call each of the seniors and ask them if they needed drinking water. One-by-one she contacted each senior and they all stated that they needed help with getting their drinking water. I delivered water to each one of them and learned that the main reason these seniors were not able to get drinking water is their physical challenges as a result of arthritis, osteoporosis, respiratory problems, and/or combinations of other issues that make it extremely hard, if not impossible, to carry heavy bottled water.

 

I challenged myself to find out how widespread the problem is --- I started to visit churches and senior living facilities to further assess the issue and after speaking with about a dozen seniors, I found that the problem was huge. I purchased cases of water for about 10 seniors out of my own pocket and I personally delivered a case of water to each one’s home every weekend. 

 

Each senior lived alone (most of them are widows), they all had health challenges that made it hard to walk and/or lift heavy items like cases of water, and they all had family members that would rarely visit them to check on their needs. Some seniors could not afford bottled drinking water, let alone water delivery, and have resorted to drinking the tap water from pipes that are rusted and corroded – introducing toxins and other health hazards into their bodies. On the other hand, some seniors can afford water bottles or cases, however, they are still challenged with getting the water to their home after the grocery store bagger places the water in their car or on their wheelchair."

 

Can you imagine their stress and frustration?

 

Do you know what it’s like to have difficulty picking up a 1-gallon bottle, or a case of water?

 

As young adults being told of these conditions, we started to wonder if there was some type of free water delivery program to assist physically challenged seniors by delivering drinking water to them at no cost. Our research left us baffled as to why we were not able to find any organization in the U.S. that was offering free water delivery to seniors on a consistent basis. We challenge you to do your own research on whether the seniors are getting help with the basic necessity of drinking water. Once you have finished your research, we know that you will be just as shocked as we were to learn that there are very few programs to assist seniors with clean drinking water access.

 

At some point or another we’ve all seen a senior that appeared they could use some assistance with carrying something heavy like drinking water. Imagine if you had physical challenges that restricted how much you were able to carry, and you need water to drink or cook with, and you rarely, if ever, get visits from family or friends…what would you do?

 

This is the reality for many seniors in America.

 

Many in our society assume that if you have children, your children will make sure you have drinking water when you become a senior citizen; but that is not the case for many people with children. Many seniors are parents, however, some children rarely visit them to see what their needs are and many of the seniors have siblings that rarely visit.

 

What if they don’t have children, or siblings?

 

What if they don’t have friends that are willing to help?

 

What if they don’t belong to a church or community group that checks on them or helps with water?

 

What if they feel that they are a burden?

 

What if they sought help time and time again, and now have chosen to not seek help anymore?

 

After all of the expenses of life, what if their finances are not enough to cover the extra costs of a paid water delivery service?

 

Who will help these seniors?

 

The days may come when you or a loved one could be physically challenged and need the same type of assistance with getting drinking water – who will help you and your loved ones?

 

Not only will this project provide FREE drinking water delivery of the drinking water but it will also provide FREE drinking water every week by an Army of volunteers. It’s time to give back to the seniors through the 'No Senior Thirsty Project'.

 

What does this project have so far?

 

• Grocery stores and drinking water companies have pledged major donations of bottled water in various sizes.

• A Ford F-150 truck was donated from Jacob's Well to deliver water.

• Volunteers assisting with water delivery.

 

Your donation to this project will help to ensure that it successfully maintains free water delivery service to seniors regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, and walks of life. All volunteers are screened and interviewed by Jacob's Well (a Christian organization) and undergo extensive background checks. Volunteers also receive diversity and sensitivity training, and the majority of our volunteers are young adults who choose to make a difference and help others.

 

With the help of donors and volunteers, future expansion plans include growing this 'No Senior Thirsty Project' from the Phoenix, AZ area to every city in America by 2020 - remember those that are in need and help us honor the seniors.