On 7 July 2012, I saw Scott Harrison (founder of charity: water) speak in Portland at a conference for people who want to change the world. My heart went out for the nearly one billion people without access to clean water. I discovered that charity: water is making a powerful and meaningful impact.

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

I'm turning 39 years old and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $39 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater projects for people in developing countries.

Millions of people contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 30,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still have to walk hours each day to get dirty water for their families.

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 people living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

The best part: 100% of all donations go directly toward water projects. And about 18 months after this campaign ends, charity: water will show us where and how every dollar we raised ended up helping in the field. We'll see GPS coordinates, photos and more details about the communities we've impacted.

Please join me.