The water blessed Sunday with the prayers of a church on Chicago's South Side was not in fonts, but in plastic bottles packed in cases that read Ice Mountain and Quaker H2OH.

Donated by members of Sweet Holy Spirit Full Gospel Baptist Church at 8621 S. South Chicago Ave., the bottled water is destined for hurricane-ravaged Haiti, collected as part of a multistate relief effort.

"We pray that this water will save a life," said Bishop Larry Trotter, the church's senior pastor and presiding bishop of the United Pentecostal Churches International, as he and other ministers prayed over a neat stack that was about eight cases wide and five cases high.

Church members in Chicago have donated more than 200 cases of bottled water, as well as canned food and other supplies.

Dolton officials also are participating in the relief effort and have filled a semi-trailer truck with supplies, Mayor William Shaw said.

Shaw said residents can drop off donations Monday and Tuesday at Village Hall, 14014 Park Ave.

Supplies will be taken to Tampa and loaded on a cargo ship bound for Port-au-Prince.

At least 1,500 people died and more than 900 were reported missing last month when Hurricane Jeanne hit the Caribbean nation.

Trotter said he organized the collection effort after hearing pleas from member churches in Haiti.

"They were hit very hard, especially with the contamination of water supplies," he said.

The response here, Trotter said, has been overwhelming.

"One young man--he's 16 years old--he brought in 50 cases of water," he said.

The church also is seeking cash donations to buy more water.

"We take things so lightly because we've never had to fight for water to wash up or to drink," Trotter told congregation members. "It's our job to look out for the less fortunate and people who are hurting."