Muslim Americans from across Michigan donate water supplies to residents in Flint.

DETROIT — During a time of crisis in Flint, the Muslim community in Michigan has placed all hands on deck to assist ailing residents exposed to toxic water.

While it’s been just days since President Obama declared a state of emergency over the region, Muslims have been donating bottled water to Flint residents for several weeks.

Non-profit groups and relief organizations have collectively brought more than 110,000 bottles of water for Flint residents.

These organizations include Life for Relief and Development, Who is Hussain? and the Kalamazoo Muslim Community. Another 90,000 bottles of water are expected to arrive over the next week from Islamic Relief USA and the Pakistan Women’s Association.

Henry Ford College is also holding a bottled water drive, allowing residents to drop off water until Friday, Jan. 29 before they are sent off to Flint. 

Amity Foundation, a Dearborn-based non-profit Muslim organization, contributed its services on Martin Luther King Day, as a group of local residents gathered at Fordson High School and traveled to Flint to deliver water, water filters and replacement filters donated by business owners and anonymous residents.

The items were delivered to the Mission of Hope Church in Flint for distribution.

“The support from our constituents and the greater Muslim community has been tremendous,” said Amity founder Amad Elzayat.

Elzayat said one of the organization’s mission statements is to help those in need, regardless of their race, skin color or religion.

With more than 200 volunteers, the Amity Foundation has spearheaded several relief and goodwill efforts, such as providing and distributing meals, coats and Thanksgiving boxes and rehabbing homes for families in need.

Eleni Baidoun, a member of the organization added that their efforts in Flint fall in line with Dr. King’s legacy.

“Water is something we take for granted and clean water has been tragically denied to children in Flint,” Baidoun said. “It’s our obligation and duty as Muslims to help those in need. We are proud to help and volunteer on MLK day. I cannot imagine a better way to honor Dr. King than in the service of those in need.”

According to the Royal Oak-based Michigan Muslim Community Council, Muslims feel compelled to provide water to the Flint region because the faith has always placed water as among its highest form of charity.

“The work is urgently needed in light of the slow reaction by state and local officials to deliver critical clean water resources to a community already devastated by poverty, crime and blight,” the organization said in a press release.

The Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) and community leader Chaker Aoun, founder and CEO of Garden Food Distributor, Inc., also organized a joint effort to send bottled water to a high school and senior citizens’ center in Flint.

Since charitable efforts have gotten underway in Flint, many centers have transformed their locations into pick up sites for residents in need of water. 

ACRL Field Director Samia Hamid said that the efforts began after she saw news coverage of Flint residents standing in long lines and braving the cold just to receive water.

Hamid contacted Northwestern High School directly and arranged to drop off water. She also contacted the Slidell Senior Residence facility to make arrangements to deliver water there.

While at the senior center, Hamid said she was heartbroken over the conditions the residents faced. 

“The senior citizens felt that the government turned their back on them,” she said. “They aren’t receiving help from anybody. Some of them are confined to their apartments. They can’t even go anywhere to pick up water.” 

Hamid said dozens of water gallons of have been donated to the seniors, along with juice. She added that her joint efforts with Aoun will continue next week, when she plans to drop off more bottled water to senior citizens. 

Gov. Snyder’s administration has faced heavy backlash following the national media coverage of the Flint crisis, with many groups asking for his resignation and for a thorough investigation into the timeline of when administration officials were aware that Flint’s water pipeline had been contaminated with lead.

Dearborn attorney Tarek Baydoun, a spokesman for MMCC, said immediate efforts should be concentrated on assisting Flint’s residents, before asking for governmental reform.

“The avoidable disaster and human tragedy in Flint present a two-fold challenge to all, based on our humanitarian needs, without regard to color or creed,” Baydoun said. “First, we must meet the immediate needs of our brothers and sisters in humanity by building a sustainable water relief effort. Then we must make a commitment to necessary investments in our infrastructure and reforms of our government to prevent a repeat of the unthinkable.”

Celebrities have also gotten involved in charitable efforts in Flint. Singer and actress Cher, with the help of Icelandic Glacial, donated over 34,000 bottles of water on Wednesday. 

Rappers Meek Mill and 50 Cent, who were in the middle of a public feud, also turned their rivalry into a charitable effort after Meek Mill tweeted that he donated $50,000 to Flint and challenged 50 cent to do the same.