Hi everyone,

my birthday is coming up and when I hear "birthday," I'm usually stumped for gifts. What if they don't like it, or what if someone else gets the same thing? Presents are nice but I'm sure we've all encountered ones that you didn't want and/or ones you definitely didn't need.

So this year, I'm giving up my birthday.

I love documentaries and I came across "FLOW" one day on my random rentals. It opened my eyes and made me realize how much we take water for granted. Clean drinking water - something so vital to our survival...ONE BILLION people in the world are living without. Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 45,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but will walk hours each day to get DIRTY water to give to their families.

I'm turning 24 years old on September 30th, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $24 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells for people in developing nations. Every dollar is "proved" when the projects are complete, and photos and GPS coordinates are posted using Google Earth. And because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

We wouldn't drink dirty water, so why should they?

I invite you to take a couple minutes of your time to join me and help make a difference in someone's life today.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!