1* charity:water

Here I go...the first organization for week #1, of my attempt to raise awareness and knowledge of several charity organizations, is charity:water.

charity:water is a non profit organization dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of the money raised goes towards the projects which provide areas of desperate need with clean water. 

Here is the sad reality: Harmful water and lack of basic cleanliness cause 80% of all illness and disease in the world. Shockingly, it kills more people every year than any type of violence, including war. Here is more sad reality: People in 3rd world countries, typically women and children, are obliged to walk more than 3 hours a day just to grab some water, which will most likely make them sick. Not only can these people not get jobs or education because of this, but they also face sexual harassment and assault on their 3 hour journey. 

It's heart breaking to think of these people and know that I can jump in my car, drive two minutes to the local Walgreens and buy a case of clean water for $5. The good news is, I can help. We can help. charity:water gives people the opportunity to provide an individual in Africa with safe drinking water for 20 years for just $20! There are also other ways to donate to this charity. There are gifts you can buy for friends/family that will provide water for someone for 20 years. Or you can buy some of their merchandise including t-shirts, hats, jewelry, etc. Check out their site here for more information. 

I know that in our economy today, $20 might be a lot for one individual. Why not get a few friends to help donate? Or even if you don't give directly to this cause, I know Starbucks offers a way to give clean water to someone across the world. Next time you're in Starbucks and you're craving some water, choose to buy an Ethos bottle of water for just a few bucks rather than ask for a free water. I hope you'll join me in trying to give back.