Ferguson LLC, the largest U.S distributor of plumbing supplies, waterworks and fire and fabrication projects, has donated $25,000 to the Hampton Roads-based Help to Others water assistance program. Given through the company’s philanthropic division, Ferguson Cares, the gift will help local families and individuals in danger of losing residential water service due to crises beyond their control.

The Help to Others (H2O) program is administered by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) in partnership with The Salvation Army. Through the program, families or individuals in danger of losing residential water service due to a crisis can receive one-time financial assistance of up to $500 to pay their local water and wastewater bills. 

The water assistance program complements Ferguson Cares, whose leadership is committed to developing partnerships with nonprofit organizations that provide clean water and sanitation to those in need, as well as support for housing, building a skilled trades workforce and other programs to advance the economic wellbeing and vitality of hometowns.

To be eligible, recipients of H2O funds must live in the service area of a participating utility, which includes public water utilities in Hampton Roads. Cities and counties in the service area include Chesapeake, Franklin, Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, James City, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Southampton, Suffolk, Surry, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Windsor and York. 

Applicants must also be able to show that a personal or family crisis, such as a death in the family, catastrophic illness or drastic decrease in family income, is preventing them from paying a water bill. 

Financial emergencies and setbacks can leave anyone tapped out, and the past few years have been especially difficult for those impacted by COVID, job loss and other sudden crises. Often times applications for assistance outnumber the amount of available funding. The gift from Ferguson Cares along with donations from the community go towards bridging that gap in need.  

People can donate to H2O through a safe, online portal; by check; or by adding a one-time donation to your HRSD/HRUBS online payment. H2O is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, making all program donations tax deductible. In addition, 100% of contributions are applied directly to the water or wastewater bill of someone in need in the local area. Donations are never used to cover the administrative costs of the program thanks to the regional collaboration of HRPDC and our partner organizations.

For more information about Help 2 Others, visit www.shareH2O.org.