Volunteers cancel water distribution event at last minute

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. — A water distribution event for residents Friday was seemingly cancelled without notice.

It was scheduled to go from 2 – 6 p.m. at God’s Household of Faith. 

Cars lined nearly all of Jefferson Street as people waited for roughly two and a half hours before finally giving up and leaving around 4:30.

ABC57 reached out to Rev. Ed Pinkney, the organizer of the event, to confirm if it had been cancelled or if there was another reason the water hadn’t been given out but did not hear back. 

MDHHS responded to ABC57’s request for clarification with the following: MDHHS was advised at the last minute that God’s Household of Faith canceled its commitment to distribute water this afternoon. Bottled water was delivered to the site and was ready to be distributed. We realize the people of Benton Harbor have been through a lot and regret that they were inconvenienced. MDHHS and the Boys and Girls Club, 600 Nate Wells Sr. Drive, are sponsoring an event tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and will have additional water for pickup.

One resident, who had been in line since before 2 p.m. waiting, called it disgusting on the organizers’ part. 

“It’s difficult because they say they’re giving water out, you don’t know where to go and you’ve got everybody lining the streets,” said Mitchell Williams. “To me it’s disgusting, let everybody know where they can get water and be here.”