As some of you may already know, philanthropy is an important part of my life. For my 29th birthday this year, I've decided to start my own annual birthday fundraiser (inspired by a few close friends). There is no greater gift than the gift of paying it forward.

After some research, I've chosen to fundraise for the nonprofit organization charity: water this year. I love their mission to help people gain access to clean water as statistics show 1 in 10 people do not have access to safe and clean water in the world. Water is a basic human necessity, and everyone should have access to safe and clean water.

Many of us have no idea what it's like to be thirsty. We have plenty of water to drink -- even the water in our toilets is clean! Unfortunately, many people around the world don’t have that luxury. Every day, about 1,400 children die from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple solutions like drilled wells, spring protections, and BioSand filters that help provide clean water to communities around the world.

Learn more about the global water crisis: https://www.charitywater.org/global-water-crisis/
Learn more about charity: water clean water projects: https://www.charitywater.org/projects/

My goal is to raise $3,000, which will help 100 people get safe and clean water (every $30 helps one person). This goal may be a bit ambitious for my first birthday fundraiser, but I believe we can do it! No donation amount is too small.

100% of the proceeds will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would share my fundraiser page with your network as well. Thank you in advance for contributing to this cause. Your generosity will not go unnoticed. Now, let's make a difference in the world and the lives of others together!

PS - When making a donation, leave a comment with your Instagram and Twitter handles, and I'll give you a shoutout on my social network channels. :)

FYI - All donations made in the U.S. are tax-deductible.