With a population of 50 million, 32 percent of Kenyans rely on unimproved water sources, such as ponds, shallow wells and rivers, while 48% of Kenyans lack access to basic sanitation solutions. These challenges are especially evident in rural areas and urban slums where people are often unable to connect to piped water infrastructure.

Ashley Grindstaff spoke about the fundraiser begun for Farmington School District employees to help the Kenyan people by "Digging Deep to Live Well."

“There’s a project that a group of Farmington people have put together called the ‘Living Well’ project,” she said. “They’re going to be fundraising year-round to drill a well in Kenya.

"One of the benefit events is going to be a barbecue on March 5. I am a part of the Help the Hungry crew, and we bought the lunches they always do at Auffenberg’s.

"I started it in the two grades that my kids are in, the two schools. The mothers, they asked about the other schools, and started another group and it just grew to every public school. It’s not just the teachers, we try to get the number for the custodians, cafeteria; every employee. That’s what I’m pretty excited about.”

The parents involved bought a meal for every employee of Farmington schools.

“It’s like blessing the employees with a good cause,” Grindstaff said.

The meat will be prepared by the Hog Brown Barbecue Team and Paul Grindstaff, who are well-known for fixing the meats for the Help the Hungry Barbecue each year. The fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial United Methodist Church at the corner of Karsch Boulevard and North Street. During that time, anyone may purchase a meal to fund the Living Well Project.

“We are just doing the preorders for the schools that day,” Grindstaff said. “We wanted to give back to them.”

To request an order form, email them at livingwell.kenya@gmail.com. There is also a GoFundMe page created by Paul Grindstaff for the Living Well Project.