Fanshawe Student Union

As we approach National Indigenous People’s Day, many First Nations communities still lack reliable access to clean, safe drinking water. This is not a short-term issue, it is an ongoing reality driven by aging infrastructure, contamination, and chronic underfunding. Even today, dozens of communities remain under long-term advisories.

Closer to home Oneida Nation of Thames, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and Munsee Delaware Nation are directly impacted. Together, this affects more than 3,400 people in our region alone, our neighbours, who do not have consistent access to safe drinking water.

While boiling water advisories help reduce bacteria and viruses, they do not remove chemical contaminants such as heavy metals or pesticides. For many families, safe drinking water is still not guaranteed, and access remains a daily concern.

This is where together we can make a difference!

This initiative is a bottled water and water jug donation drive, supported by both physical and monetary contributions.

Beyond direct impact, this initiative creates an opportunity for Fanshawe to demonstrate leadership in reconciliation, community partnership, and social responsibility. It also provides a meaningful way for students, staff, and faculty to come together around a cause that is both local and deeply important.

This is not just about donating water, it is about raising awareness, building relationships, and acting when it is needed.

Our goal is simple but powerful: to help ensure that more families in our nearby communities have access to safer drinking water, especially during the summer months when the need is even greater.

Clean water is a basic human right. This initiative allows us to stand by in solidarity, take meaningful action, and support our neighbours in a very real way.

There will be a donation table setup in Innovation Village on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to collect donations and raise awareness. Donations would include:

- Sealed cases of bottled water
- Sealed water jugs
- Financial contributions to support bulk purchasing

Monetary donations can also be made at https://fanshaweretail.ca/Item?leader=88870047287

The FSU presents a Summer Babies Birthday Celebration today between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. If you are a current Fanshawe student with a birthday between May and August, just bring proof of your birth month to Forwell Hall during that time for a birthday treat.