All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Stuff I don't want, stuff I definitely don't need. And to be honest, I hardly even remember what I got last year. I've learned that experiences always trump materials in life.

So this year, I'm giving my birthday up for Charity:water. I've traveled to Ethiopia, blew up dynamite to help build water wells and and seen the suffering that exists when people don't have easy access to clean water. Charity:water is an amazing organization and every dollar you donate goes directly to building the wells. If we raise $38,000 we will give almost 2,000 people access to clean water.

I'm turning 38 years old and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $38, $380 or $3800 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.

Almost a billion people in the world are living without clean water -- but how much are they really living? Millions 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.