Mark Wahlberg, Jimmy Fallon, Cher and More Stars Donate to Help Fight the Flint Water Crisis

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Michigan

By Francesca Bacardi Jan 25, 2016 9:52 PMTags
Big Sean, Eminem, Jimmy Fallon, Mark WahlbergGetty Images/NBC

Hollywood is helping Flint, Michigan.

The water supply in Flint has been deemed so unsafe that the state attorney general advised parents to keep their children away from it, including a warning against bathing while President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency, according to NBC News. Thousands are feared to have suffered permanent brain damage while 10 residents have died from Legionnaire's Disease.

Because the crisis has become so bad, stars have started to donate bottled water in order to alleviate some of the pain the lead-tainted water has caused. Mark Wahlberg and Sean "Diddy" Combs, who co-own California-based beverage company AQUAhydrate pledged to donate 1 million bottles to assist with the water crisis until it can be resolved.

A donation of 5,000 cases is already en route to the city and should arrive mid-week. "The AQUAhydrate team is doing everything it can to help with this issue," said Diddy in a press release. "Mark and I made an initial pledge to donate and are committed to the continued aid to Flint residents as long as they need it. We hope this commitment will inspire others to get involved as well."

Both Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers) and Wiz Khalifa also have joined AQUAhydrate's efforts in helping out the residents of Flint. Cher has turned to Twitter to express her outrage at the crisis, which began when the cash-strapped city switched from Detroit's municipal water system and began turning to the Flint River in 2014. The water wasn't treated properly to prevent lead from pipes getting into the water, so the supply was contaminated. Government negligence has been cited as the reason for the major crisis.

As a result, Cher joined with Icelandic Glacial water to donate 181,000 bottles. The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon announced Sunday that he, too, would be donating $10,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and urged 10 of his followers to match his donation. Pearl Jam pledged $125,000 to the United Way of Genesee County, which includes Flint, while Detroit-raised Big Sean also pledged $10,000.

Big Sean also started a "Help Flint's Kids" campaign on CrowdRise that has already received more than $20,000 in donations.

Watch the video to hear how Pink strives to feed hungry children.

Watch: P!nk Strives to Feed Hungry Children With Charity