Ever since 2014, Flint, Michigan and its 96,448 residents have been in a crisis for the most basic human necessity. Water.

In recent years, First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church has been a large source of solace for locals by managing donations and distributing more than five million water bottles to families throughout the city.

Previously, there had been a government-mandated water donation program; however, former governor Rick Snyder chose to end the project in 2018. Now, new governor—and FHC graduate—Gretchen Whitmer, has stated that she plans to reinstate the program.

Ultimately, though, the crisis in Flint comes down the systematic oppression of poor communities in Michigan, allowing governments to turn a blind eye to the years of injustice that residents have been plagued by. The average income for a person living in Flint is $25,650, 1.02 times lower than that of an average American female. By refusing to fix this ongoing crisis, a circular system of poverty is created, preventing families who already live there from being able to get themselves out.

Fortunately, celebrities and others with high spheres of influence have, and continue to, make a difference for Flint. In the past, “big-name” people such as Aretha Franklin, Big Sean, and Eminem have made various contributions to the cause.

Now, in 2019, Jaden Smith has begun to pitch in as well. He and his partner, Drew Fitzgerald, co-founded the company Just Water and have been partnering with local Flint churches to design their new “Water Box.”

According to USA Today, “The Water Box” is a device that is able to filter out lead and contaminants for up to ten gallons of drinking water every minute. The gadget is distributed by First Trinity Baptist Church at certain times, making it available for residents when they need it.

Their work has been in partnership with organizations such as The Last Kilometer, Rethink H20, and Black Millennials for Flint to officially launch their product on March 2. According to their website, Black Millenials for Flint’s mission is “for large scale impact to achieve more readily in communities of color where access to resources to positively impact current realities isn’t immediately available.”

From ABC, Jaden Smith says that this project for Flint has been one of the most rewarding and educational experiences for him and that, “working together with people in the community experiencing the problems and design(ing) something to help them has been a journey I will never forget. We are planning to deploy more water boxes in Flint and other communities facing similar challenges.”

For Jaden, the multiple organizations, and the families in the community of Flint, this new device symbolizes a step in the right direction for the future.