Excessive rainfall doused central Mississippi and the city of Jackson throughout the month of August. Flooding of the Pearl River caused pumps to fail at a Jackson water treatment plant, resulting in more than 150,000 people in Mississippi’s capital losing access to drinkable water. For many, there is no running water at all as water pressure had been reduced to an unsustainable degree.
In response to this crisis, The Salvation Army has activated an Incident Command Team and will begin coordinated disaster response efforts in the city. The water crisis had forced Jackson public schools to go remote indefinitely, leaving parents struggling to either work remotely or find childcare. The Salvation Army was also able to distribute stuffed animals to children in the complex, and parents and kids alike were excited to receive breakfast boxes. “This is perfect. The kids can log in for school and have breakfast right there with them.”