The only thing I remember about my 6th birthday is wanting a Batman-themed party and a fresh pair of LA Gear light-up shoes.
I have a feeling Sadie’s memories are going to be a little different than that.
Earlier this year, when 5-year-old Sadie found out that 663 million people around the world live without access to clean water, she knew she wanted to help.
After talking with her mom, she decided that instead of asking for birthday presents on her 6th birthday, she’d ask for $6 donations to clean water instead.
In Sadie’s words, “Helping people is more important than a birthday party.”
This past Monday, we got the chance to celebrate the impact all of those $6 donations with Sadie in our office — on her actual birthday! She’s now raised enough to help 85 people, which is pretty amazing.
Sadie, thank you for a birthday we won’t forget. We hope you remember it forever too!
Every season we get the pleasure of working with a new batch of intelligent and hungry young world-changers. It’s one of the best parts of being at charity: water.
This summer’s group is no exception.
Say hello to 21 (has to be a record!!!) hardworking, happy, and very hirable summer interns…
Bryn Melanson School: UNC Chapel Hill Hometown: Boston, MA Team: Key Relationships
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I came across a video of Scott speaking and fell in love with the concept of reinventing charity and his passion for bringing clean water to people in need.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I get to research current and potential donors, contribute to excel sheets and help Maria with anything she may need around the office.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The people! Everyone is so welcoming and passionate about their work that it creates a very friendly and creative environment.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I am on the rowing team at UNC, I am very passionate about music and I am a huge foodie! (so New York is the perfect place to be)
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? I love the High Line, although it has gotten quite busy over the past few years, it is the best place to go and explore and find amazing new food options in Chelsea Market.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I have no idea! I just want to be passionate about my job and where I work. I would like to be working in some sort of strategic business position.
Share a fun fact with us! I am always trying to find the best new artist on Soundcloud or Spotify and come up with playlists that all of my friends will enjoy.
Sohana Islam School: NYU Hometown: Plano, TX Team: Production
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I was very passionate about the mission and how the single focus of providing clean water to millions of people can affect just about every other aspect of their lives for the better. I’ve also worked with much larger nonprofits in the past and wanted to get experience with a smaller office and an incredibly innovative team.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I have a lot of variability in my day to day activities because my tasks just depend on what events we have going on. I can have days where I’m tracking RSVP lists or I can have days where I’m working registration at an event or discussing our VR technology with prospective donors. Never a dull moment!
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love everything about this office. It has a very startup-esque feel to it. Every person that works here is so passionate about the mission and the environment is very collaborative. Everybody is committed to making a difference and encouraging each other to do their best. Work hard, play hard! I love getting to learn about every department and getting to know the backgrounds of different employees. Everyone is super friendly, just good vibes all around!
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I love to sing, go museum/gallery-hopping, try out new restaurants, catch sunsets, drink an insane amount of chai lattes, and just hang out with my friends. And Netflix, definitely Netflix….
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? It’s so hard to pick just one! I love going to cool cafes, galleries, and parks. Grand Army Plaza by Prospect Park is one of my favorite views to just chill out to. I love walking around Meatpacking and ending up watching the sunset by the Hudson. I also love this Moroccan cafe in LES called Pause Cafe. It is my happy place.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I would love to be running my own nonprofit, or multiple. Hope to be married with kids and have many many cats. Main focus is lots of cats.
Share a fun fact with us! I sing and do a lot of different voices.
Steven Durr School: Purdue University Hometown: Sheridan, IN Team: Water Programs
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? The organization’s drive for excellence while making a difference in the world really intrigued me and it was something I wanted to be a part of.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Every day is different for me. I have various Water Programs tasks like reviewing pictures, cleaning up data, or researching potential travel information for our team.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? This is hard to narrow down. The staff/interns are all great and are always nice and willing to help. The environment of striving for excellence in everything we do is also challenging but very rewarding. But my favorite thing is that work does not feel like work when the cause is much bigger than myself.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I’m just in New York for the summer, so I am trying to explore as much of the city as possible. I also enjoy watching/playing sports and hanging out with friends.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Central Park
Where do you want to be in 15 years? No idea.
Share a fun fact with us! When I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be a cow.
Lyra Cooper School: Barnard College of Columbia University Hometown: Piedmont, CA Team: Key Relationships
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? Water is the key to life, yet 663 million people still lack access to this most basic necessity. This is crazy. I was attracted to charity: water because of its dual vision to provide water for communities and redefine what it means to be a transparent charity with its 100% Model. I have canvassed door-to-door in the past and have a firsthand understanding of why people often distrust nonprofits. Besides having a background in urban history and a fascination with public health and water, I am also extremely interested in empowering women and girls–a topic closely tied to WASH. By providing clean and safe water to communities, charity: water and its partners are transforming women’s lives with the power of time. Time to pursue a career, get an education, and relax. charity: water is making enormous strides to empower entire communities and regions around the world with the basic necessity of water, and I am so grateful to be a part of such an incredible nonprofit!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I make myself a black chai tea at the coffee station, check my calendar, and work under the lovely and intelligent Egu Ramanathan on the Key Relationships Team. The exciting part of interning at charity: water is that every day is different. I have already worked on a host of different projects, from charity: water’s progress reports that will soon be sent out to our generous Water Program Sponsors, to analyzing and presenting feedback data conclusions from past reports to the team.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The people at charity: water make this internship experience priceless. Everyone, interns and staff, are always down to grab coffee, catch up, and learn more about what others are working on. I particularly appreciate my team and Egu, who has guided me through the nonprofit and taught me so much already. What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I enjoy playing club ultimate frisbee with the Brooklyn Book Club, reading about America’s history of lead pollution and poisoning, checking out new noodle shops in Chinatown with friends, and taking long walks north towards McNally Jackson Bookstore Cafe after work.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Lower East Side and coffee shops anywhere and everywhere.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? Working in a public health capacity in either the public or private sector on one of America’s beautiful coasts (probably northern California).
Share a fun fact with us! I backpacked across northern Spain last summer!
Sophia Johnston School: Providence College Hometown: New York, NY Team: Water Programs
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I have known about charity: water since high school and I have always been so inspired by the work this organization does. Not only does charity: water have an amazing mission, but it also works in an extremely sustainable and innovative way.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Everyday is a little different but I get to assist the Water Programs team on any and all tasks that they need help with. I get to participate in meetings where I learn about the different partners we work with and how charity: water carries out the work that they do.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part about interning at charity: water has been getting to meet all of the people that work here. I love meeting people who are passionate about what they do and are excited to go to work every day.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Outside of charity: water I love to go to the beach, walk around the city, hang out with my friends, and play with my dogs!
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? My favorite place to hangout in New York is Union Square!
Where do you want to be in 15 years? In 15 years I want to be living in the city with a job that I love and have traveled to every continent.
Share a fun fact with us! I went shark cage diving in South Africa!
Hannah Brown School: University of Birmingham, UK Hometown: Alcester, England Team: Key Relationships UK
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I wanted to intern at charity: water after attending an event hosted by Scott. He is a truly inspirational speaker, and the story behind the founding of charity: water is incredible. I couldn’t believe all of the amazing impacts charity: water has made over the last 10 years, and wanted to get involved in their mission to bring clean and safe water to more people across the world. As a donor, the 100% model and the charity: water brand is what really stood out for me. You know that every dime is going to an amazing cause.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I am helping out with the launch of charity: water in the UK, so a typical day for me is all things to do with setting up the UK. This can be anything from event planning in London to building the UK pipeline and reaching out to potential donors. There’s always something going on the office too, such as a brown bag or water cooler event so every day is different!
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part is seeing the genuine passion for the charity: water mission that the team show every day, through everything that they do. Everyone is great to work with, and it’s an amazing culture to be in.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I work remotely as a Category Management consultant for a business in the UK. I also intern for the Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation, they do some amazing groundbreaking research into cancer and also help take care of the kids at New York Presbyterian hematology & oncology clinic. Aside from work, I love exploring the city with my boyfriend and our tweenie dachshund!
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Nothing beats strolling down the High Line, ending up in the beer garden and then into Chelsea Market for some great food. Central Park is also my favorite place for a break from beeping horns.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? A happy place! I believe in taking each day as it comes, you never know what opportunities are around the corner. But hopefully I will be working back in the UK in the food industry, which I am really passionate about, and in a little home with a little family.
Share a fun fact with us! I used to fence when I was younger and won a couple of medals for it. I wasn’t quite as good as Zorro though!
Emma Zang-Schwartz School: Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health Hometown: Paradise Valley, AZ Team: Marketing
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I have known about charity: water since high school, and have always loved the work they were doing. I wanted a chance to help and get to be part of the team!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Answering emails from awesome supporters, unpacking t-shirts and other cool products, making sure the jerry cans don’t fall on people when they open the closet.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love getting to work with all of the amazing people. And the bean bags are pretty cool!
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Baking lots of cookies and exploring New York City - mostly finding other yummy cookies
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Chelsea Market Where do you want to be in 15 years? Working at my dream job - and maybe on a vacation to the moon
Share a fun fact with us! I share a birthday with my grandpa - we are birthday buddies.
William Lee School: City College of New York Hometown: New York, NY Team: Finance
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I highly admire the unique culture of openness and kindness. I also loved the cause for increasing global access to clean water. We are making the world a better place!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Lots of busy work with numbers, primary keeping track of staff expenses, depositing checks, organizing monthly financial information, data entry, and making sure that financial details are accurate and entered into the right accounts. Daily uses of Netsuite, Concur, Excel, and Maji are necessary to accomplish ongoing tasks.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I am working with a team of highly passionate, fun, and talented individuals! What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I do a lot of biking for fun outside of work.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? It depends on my mood. Autoshows and museums are interesting, but there are so many other places that I like to explore in the city!
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I will go deeper into finance, but probably be exploring the world as well.
Share a fun fact with us! I am a big fan of horror movies.
Jacob Sheward School: NYU School of Engineering Hometown: Columbus, MS Team: IT
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? To help fight the water crisis by providing support at the HQ and to gain experience outside of the classroom.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Running around answering questions and problem solving.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The people and their dedication to the cause!
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I also work as a receptionist at Great Jones Spa and live in Kew Gardens in Queens, NY. I love art, puppies, and exploring the city!
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Washington Square Park!
Where do you want to be in 15 years? Happy and rich.
Share a fun fact with us! I can touch my tongue with my nose.
Maeve Kennard School: University of Southern California Hometown: Wilton, CT Team: Water Programs
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I have had an interest in international work for as long as I can remember, but I never knew what exactly I wanted to do within that field. I have studied aspects of the water crisis through my coursework at school and was very interested in it, so I thought that interning for charity: water would be the perfect way to expose myself to one aspect international relations while also learning more about an extremely relevant world crisis.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? My days are usually spent helping the Water Programs team on any data related tasks they need help on with the occasional meeting here and there.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I would say my favorite part about interning for charity: water is the work environment. Everyone in the office comes from such different backgrounds, but they all have in common the desire to make a lasting impact through their work. This creates an environment of people who are really rooting for each other to succeed and for the organization to succeed.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? On Monday and Friday I babysit for my former babysitter’s 2 year old son. On weekends, I try to spend as much time as I can outside, whether it be going to the beach or going on a hike!
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Anywhere with good food!
Where do you want to be in 15 years? Hopefully doing something I love in a really cool place
Share a fun fact with us! My favorite food is anything with cheese
Amy McDermott School: NYU Stern School of Business and Wagner School of Public Policy Hometown: Boston, MA Team: Finance
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? For my internship this summer, I was interested in gaining experience in international development and was excited by charity: water’s unique model and brand. As an MBA/MPA candidate, I am eager to support the finance team’s work of ensuring the organization runs efficiently and creates lasting impact.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Every day is different! I have several long-term projects that I usually start my day with, then there’s often meetings with various team members or office-wide speakers. A lot of revenue and budget forecasting and analysis, which has been a great way to learn a lot about the organization. I enjoy that each day is different and new projects pop up throughout the week!
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? Tie for the people and the mission! I am already learning so much from other staff members and their unique backgrounds and skills. I also love coming to work everyday knowing that everyone is working tirelessly to bring clean and safe water to more people across the globe.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? During the school year, I’m pursuing an MBA/MPA that keeps me pretty busy! I also am a fitness instructor at two studios here in the city, which I love. If I’m not at work or teaching, I’m always seeing friends/family, enjoying delicious food, baking, exploring the city, running or in search of new great coffee spots!
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Washington Square Park
Where do you want to be in 15 years? In 15 years, I hope to a leader of an innovative organization that works to eliminate poverty and better the lives of people across the globe. I hope to have a family (with at least 1 dog!), living back home in Boston, and traveling everywhere when I can!
Share a fun fact with us! I love to play golf and still play competitively when I can!
Katy Nelson School: Columbia University Hometown: Charlottesville, VA Team: Creative
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I’ve followed charity: water for a while and was always interested in volunteering or finding some way to help out. When I saw the internship listing it seemed like a great chance to get involved. I’m interested in working in graphic design and branding for nonprofits, so I’m excited to help the Creative team this summer.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I check in with Garrett and Ryan in the morning and see what’s on the agenda for the day. It could be anything from designing icons and graphics for marketing materials to researching inspiration for new projects. I also get to sit in on Creative meetings where the designers pitch ideas to Scott and others.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The office environment. Everyone is extremely warm and friendly, and they’re all willing to take time out of their days to help you learn the ropes.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? When I’m not at charity: water, I work at a yoga studio, and I also do other graphic design projects. Lately, I’ve been designing exhibition catalogs for a local arts non-profit. I also help run the Met College Group, a committee of undergraduate and graduate students that plans events at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Too many options. Hungarian Pastry Shop at 111th St. was always my favorite spot to spend time by Columbia. (I’ve accidentally spent entire days there….) In the summer, I love spending time by the water in Brooklyn Bridge Park or by the lake in Central Park–the rocks by W. 76th St. are my go-to reading spot. I also spend a lot of time at the Met. The Islamic wing is my favorite part of the museum, and I also love visiting the rooftop which has a different installation every summer.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I would love to be living in New York or California working as a graphic designer. But 15 years is too daunting to think about!
Share a fun fact with us! I figure skated for ten years, and I still love to go skating just for fun when the outdoor rinks are open in the winter.
Laila Khan School: NYU Hometown: Sacramento, CA Team: Marketing
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I’ve been following charity: water for quite some time and have always loved the way they work and what they do. Everything from their mission to end the water crisis to the happy company culture made it pretty clear this is something I had to be apart of.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? A typical day is a mix of interacting with our AWESOME donors and keeping track of the wonderful campaigns charity: water is so lucky to have! But it switches up every so often which is definitely fun.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite thing about interning at charity: water is that everyone is working toward a common goal of having a positive impact throughout the world by bringing clean water to those in need. And so far they’ve been pretty great at it which brings about this exciting and fun energy which is awesome to be a part of.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? My life outside of charity: water is filled with books- I love to read! I also try to take advantage of the weather by being outside as much as possible. I’m constantly looking for fun coffee spots. I also love traveling and anything to do with food.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? This is tough! I’m gonna cheat and say two: Washington Square Park and the Williamsburg waterfront.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? In 15 years, I want to have a fulfilling career in the nonprofit sector- whether that be here, somewhere else or at my own organization, who knows! I just hope to be a part of something that contributes to the greater well being of others and the fact that it makes me happy would be the best bonus. I hope to be married and spreading that message on to my kids!
Share a fun fact with us! When I was a kid, I was convinced I’d become an astronaut.
John Manion School: Wake Forest University Hometown: Weston, CT Team: Finance
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I wanted to use my knowledge of finance and accounting to make more meaningful difference.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Recording check deposits, recording cash flows in excel, updating data tables with the most up to date and current information.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The staff and positive atmosphere!
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I love going to the beach and playing frisbee
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? The High Line or Central Park
Where do you want to be in 15 years? That’s a great question that I do not know the answer to yet.
Share a fun fact with us! Self-proclaimed smoothie enthusiast
Ali Margolies School: University of Delaware Hometown: Garrison, NY Team: Production
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? After two years of teaching English abroad I finally figured out what I wanted to dedicate my life to and realized there was no better place to get started than charity: water, their reputation definitely precedes them. On top of that the opportunity to learn and grow here was evident and after Laura and I teared up during my interview I knew I needed to be around these incredibly passionate people.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? The cool part about interning here is that this question is the hardest to answer! But I’m typically either in meetings, working on my summer project and anything the production team needs help with, picking other interns brains about their departments, or creeping by the kitchen to see if there are any new snacks. This is the first time I’ve worked for a non-profit so I’m focused on learning as much as I can and challenging myself in the process.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part is that we, as interns, get to be involved in so many aspects of the organization and are treated like fellow, capable team members. It’s one thing to read about what c:w does and be inspired but it’s another to witness it and be a part of it first hand. There is also always so much going on and so many amazing people that it’s impossible not to have fun and learn at least 5 new things a day.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I do my best to fill my life with as many tacos, craft beers, travel blogs, picnics and live music shows as I can. You can also find me perfecting the art of “looking like I know where I’m going while totally reading a map”.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? On the High Line, street meat in hand.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I picture myself an expat, living in Central or South America, still working to end the water crisis, focusing on public health and women’s rights. Fifteen years is hard to imagine but I know I’ll be fighting for human rights on an international scale, hopefully with a few more foreign languages in my pocket.
Share a fun fact with us! Last year I went to the San Fermin festival in Spain, ran with the bulls, and made it into the ring carrying my rolled up New York Times just like my dad had done in the 70s.
Shannon Wheeler School: UCLA Hometown: Kinnelon, NJ Team: Volunteer Program
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? During high school I was a volunteer at another non-profit, and the experience really shaped my decision to study international development. I wanted to intern at charity: water to help make the experiences of our volunteers as positive and impactful as possible!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Every day looks different at charity: water! Aside from working on fun events like the Hackathon, I am usually sending and responding to volunteer emails, working on Timecounts or meeting with Anna!
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love being able to work with Anna! We are a two person team and it’s really awesome being able to be so closely involved with her projects.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Outside of charity: water, I love to read and explore New York City! If you have a book that you think I should read, definitely let me know. Recommendations are my favorite.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? I love going to thrift stores in Brooklyn! My favorite is “Urban Jungle” in Bushwick.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? When I’m 33, I’ll hopefully be working as a human rights lawyer, or in an international non-profit!
Share a fun fact with us! I’m mildly allergic to the sun.
Priyanka Patel School: Rutgers University Honors College Hometown: Bethlehem, PA Team: Key Relationships
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? The theme for my first year at the Honors College was centered around the Jerry Can and finding innovative ways to solve the world’s problems including the water problem. I was inspired by charity: water’s creative dedication to providing clean water to communities that need it, and I wanted to be a part of it!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? On a typical day in the office, I go to a couple of meetings, work on projects that involve researching donors, and get to know my fellow interns as well as the employees of charity: water.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part of interning at charity: water is the innovative vibe you get when you walk in. Everyone is super cool and friendly, and the atmosphere makes me enjoy every part of the work I do.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? When I am not interning at charity: water, I am either working at Barnes and Noble, learning how to cook with my mom, or hanging out with friends and family.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? I love the West Village. Ever since I was a kid, the West Village was my favorite place to walk around, get some food, and relax.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? In 15 years I want to have been practicing as a doctor (not sure which kind yet) for a few years and have already started a family in a nice suburban town outside of the city.
Share a fun fact with us! I do four different styles of dance: bollywood, bhangra, bellydance, and hip-hop.
Kara Patrovic School: UNC Chapel Hill Hometown: Miller Place, NY Team: Key Relationships
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I went to Bolivia when I was 15 to visit my sponsored child and when I was there I was brought to a community that had a single spigot of water for over 750 people that ran for an hour a day and during the dry season was not even turned on. A group of mothers and fathers from the community plead with me for a water system saying “Agua es Vida” or “Water is Life” and I became exposed first hand to the water crisis- it was crazy to me that at home it was such an inconvenience if there was no wifi, yet so many people around the world didn’t have access to something so basic as clean water. I came home and started a nonprofit to help implement this first water system and two years later I went back to Bolivia and was later able to see the water flowing. During this time period I had found out about charity: water and it’s amazing work. My first impression of charity: water was watching the Road that Changed Everything. I’ve probably watched it a good 20-30 times and it still manages to give me chills/make me tear up! I fell in love with everything charity: water did and stood for; the 100% model, grassroots fundraising, telling individual’s stories from the field, transparency with GPS coordinates and the monitoring of water systems with sensors to make sure that water continued to flow. This all being said, during my first year of college, when I saw there were openings for interns I jumped at the opportunity and prayed that I’d be able work here!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? A typical day starts out with me grabbing a cup of coffee, a glass of water and sitting at my desk. I work on research of different donors, impact reports, donor gifts and I’m going to be able to do my first grant soon which I’m super excited about!
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? My favorite part is definitely all the people that work here. Everyone is so passionate, enthusiastic and welcoming. It’s so cool to me that everyone comes from different backgrounds, states and even countries in the office but get along so well and all share a common bond- their passion for clean water. It’s so encouraging to be apart of such an upbeat, happy workspace.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Outside of charity: water you’ll see me at the beach, exploring the city, listening to music or playing soccer.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Williamsburg Waterfront at sunset!
Where do you want to be in 15 years? I hope to have my masters in nonprofit or water resource management and be working at either an international nonprofit, a research/policy institute for water or be the founder/CEO of my own nonprofit or startup!
Share a fun fact with us! When I was little I had a stuffed animal that I named baby no no and to this day, I have no idea how/why I named it that!
Sristi Pradhan School: NYU Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal Team: Brand Partnerships
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I first heard about charity: water in my high school geography class when we were learning about water scarcity. I was amazed by its work in so many countries around the world and knew I wanted to be a part of the team. Also I’m originally from Nepal so growing up I definitely felt the impact of the water crisis. I learnt the value of access to having water early on.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I’m working with the Brand Partnerships team so my main responsibilities include communicating with our corporate donors about their charity:water campaigns and fundraising initiatives, helping manage our campaigns and reporting details, and researching our existing and prospective corporate partners.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? The people. Everyone is so creative and passionate about the work they do, it makes charity: water an inspiring workplace. Oh and the snacks in the kitchen and Monday breakfast meetings are pretty awesome too.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? I love to travel! I’ve made it my life goal to live once on every continent, and I’ve lived in three so far so I’m halfway there. When I’m in New York, my favorite thing to do is walk because there’s always a new area or neighborhood to explore.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? The High Line and the Conservatory Garden in Central Park
Where do you want to be in 15 years? In 15 years I want to be working to make a social impact. I’m studying global public health and communications right now so I’d love to pursue a career at an NGO that would involve a combination of the two.
Share a fun fact with us! I went to high school in Nairobi, Kenya!
Christina Xiong School: University Of Chicago - Booth Hometown: Fresh Meadows, NY Team: Finance
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? To contribute to amazing mission while learning how a global nonprofit is run from the ground up.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Coffee, Checking Email/Calendar, Performing revenue/expense analyses on Water & Ops, Lunch, Working on ad-hoc projects with the Finance Team, Coffee
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? Passionate team members and a culture of giving
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Concerts (Beyonce & Coldplay), U.S. Open, Broadway shows, Netflix, Kindle
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? The High Line
Where do you want to be in 15 years? Zurich, Switzerland (or London or Paris)
Share a fun fact with us! I was a U.S. Open ballperson!
Joy Caroline Hicklin (JC) School: University of South Carolina Hometown: Rock Hill, SC Team: Office Operations
Why did you want to intern at charity: water? I heard about charity: water my freshman year in college from a friend. From that point on, I was completely enthralled with the mission and culture of charity: water–from an onlooker’s perspective. Consistently inspired by the work I saw, I knew I wanted to apply!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Truthfully, there’s not really a typical day! One day I might be helping with internal events and another I might be rearranging the office. It truly depends on what the priority is for the day, but I’m always running around…inside and outside the office. It’s my job to assist Jordan, the office manager, with any and everything she needs.
What’s your favorite part of interning at charity: water? I love learning so much about the different departments and the people who work in each of them. Generally, the attitude/culture is also really conducive to improvement and positivity, so I love that as well.
What goes on in your life outside of charity: water? Make me a Spotify playlist and I’ll love you forever; running is awful but necessary; anything on the water is a must; (good) books are important; cupcakes are divine; I mean I need food to live, so might as well make it good; awkward initial conversations are life.
What is your favorite place to hangout in New York? Hmmm; I love the area near South Ferry, Williamsburg (Smorgasburg is a must), and Riverside Park on the Upper West Side.
Where do you want to be in 15 years? Take the “1” off of that number and it might make it slightly more fathomable for me–but seriously I see myself moving around for a while and working in crisis management public relations, political science with a focus on development, or in a more hands-on role somewhere abroad. All I know is that I love people and I love to learn–so as long as those two criteria are met I’ll be thrilled.
Share a fun fact with us! I love love love slam poetry; (google it if you’re not sure!) I’ve written and performed some, and on a Wednesday night in NYC, you might find me listening at the Bowery Poetry Club.
Ryan first learned about charity: water after following Instagrammers that were sharing our organization’s mission along with their charity: water campaigns (I love how community grows both organically and digitally — here’s to you, Internet!). He was inspired by our message and our model and boldly decided to take his first step in combating the water crisis by using his 21st birthday to fundraise for clean water.
His campaign concept? A personified Jerry Can.
Ryan is currently advertising his 21st birthday campaign on Instagram (@ryanjaydee) and wants to bring this symbol of the Jerry Can to life. In his words, “If you don’t already know, the Jerry Can is the symbol of charity: water because it represents the people in developing countries that have to carry containers to store their drinking water. When filled up it weighs about 40 pounds. It’s a part of these millions of people’s lives because they have to carry it for long distances to get water for their families. charity: water describes it as a “hope to change” and I completely agree with that. That’s why I want to personify this Jerry can and make people aware of the this problem!“
Ryan, happy 21st birthday! We celebrate you, and we thank you for the impact you’re making in this world.
When I stared working at charity: water three years ago, the adjective I would’ve used to describe gaming would not have been “philanthropic.”
The U-Pick Video Game Marathon is a perfect example of how wrong I was.
These guys and girls have now run THREE campaigns for charity: water and raised more than $8,000 for clean water projects. Not only that, but they’ve done it by having fun.
The U-Pick team gives people the option to choose games for them to play by making a donation to clean water. Then they play the most popular video games for 48 hours … straight! And they broadcast the entire thing (which you can watch live from June 12th at 8PM EST through June 14th at 8PM here: http://www.upickvg.com/watch-now).
The dedication this crew has to bringing clean water to people in developing countries leaves me speechless (which isn’t easy). I cannot wait to watch them beat their $5,000 goal this month!
Brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity hosted their second annual charity: ball this past weekend to help raise money for clean water!
The night was filled with performances, silent auctions, an art gallery, and more. And it brought together over 600 supporters who smiled, laughed, and cheered together as they celebrated bringing clean water to hundreds of people around the world.
“The best feeling in the world is being able to spread cheer and happiness, and knowing that this can be achieved by helping others,” said David Ha, one of the hosts of Cal Poly’s charity: ball.
David first heard about charity: water from a friend who organized Cal Poly’s first charity: ball two years ago. After seeing how passionate his friend was about charity: water’s mission, David began reading our stories and was particularly struck by Letikiro, a 13-year-old Ethiopian girl who took her own life after accidentally dropping the water she had spent hours walking for that day.
“I felt confused, angry, and sad,” he said. “I was confused because I couldn’t comprehend how someone as young as Letikiro held such a big burden. I was angry because it was something that was totally preventable. And I was sad because there are so many people that don’t know her story. But the amazing thing is this can all change.”
David realized that everyone has the potential to change lives and even one person can make a huge difference. After he saw how much of an impact their first charity: ball had, he decided to take the project into his own hands and start a campaign to spread the charity: water story as far and wide as he could.
“I wanted to spread awareness to as many people as possible, educate them about our water crisis, and reward each and every one of our supporters with a night dedicated to them to remind them just how big of a difference their contribution made to the hundreds of lives that they will change in the future,” he said.
To get their community involved with the campaign, the hosts of the Cal Poly charity: ball started releasing videos of themselves spreading positive acts around their community and found that many of their supporters started to submit videos of their own. They also recruited over 16 project leaders from various schools to create inspirational art pieces to help spread awareness about the event.
“In my 3 months of campaigning, I felt that time has passed by in only a few weeks because I really enjoyed doing this,” he said. “You will realize that when you get involved with something you love doing, you will end up with a bunch of people who will want to help and support you. Nothing feels better than being able to spread positivity and enjoy doing what you love at the same time.”
Way to go Cal Poly; you all are amazing. Thank you so much for your support and for continuing to be an inspiration to the entire charity: water family!
One of the best parts of being at charity: water is getting to spend each season with a new team of talented and passionate interns. Time and time again, these groups bring energy, enthusiasm and new ideas to our office. They make our lives easier, and they make it fun to come to work.
And we want to introduce them to you!
Without further ado, meet our 2015 Spring Semester interns:
Carolyn Boyce School or Current Job: New York University From: Cincinnati, OH
Fun fact about you: I’ve been to 30 out of 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Lots of donor research! I’m all about figuring out who should know about charity: water, helping more people to get on board with our mission, and making sure donors are happy with their charity: water experience. I work with big lists of donors in Excel, go to Growth meetings, and cover the reception desk sometimes too.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Right now, I’m working on coming up with a process to re-engage donors with different charity: water experiences. For example, if someone gives a big gift to a friend’s mycharity: water campaign, could they also be a Water Project Sponsor?
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? Beer and pizza! It’s a great way to unwind after the work week, and get to know people you wouldn’t normally talk to.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Lots of my friends at NYU are actors and musicians, so I go to a lot of their shows and concerts. I also love trying out new restaurants and reading.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? I went hang gliding in California a couple summers ago. It was so cool, I felt like a bird flying above the beach!
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. My friends and I planned a week-long arts festival last November, to showcase all of our talented friends. Over 500 students ended up attending to see our 30 featured student artists. It was a lot of work, but everyone loved the events, and we’ll probably do another one next year.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? Visit the two boroughs I’ve never been to (Queens and Staten Island), watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Shakespeare in the Park, and go to a Mets game when they play the Reds.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? I’m totally a cat person (and a Leo!), so I have to say a cat. I grew up with two cats though, so maybe I’m a little biased.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? I would have loved to be at Scott’s birthday party that raised the money to found charity: water. I’m sure it was a blast. It would have been amazing to see what it was like when charity: water was just an idea and had to be built from the ground up.
We’re moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Nap pods! Google has them, maybe we get get them donated. Sometimes you just need a power nap, you know?
Tell us your best joke. Two muffins are sitting in an oven. The first muffin says, “Boy, it’s hot in here isn’t it?” The second muffin says, “Whoa! A talking muffin!”
Jeremy Lakin School or Current Job: NYU From: Reading, PA
Fun fact about you: I went to elementary school with Taylor Swift.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I check my emails, update our WASH Library and several other spreadsheets. I work on a longer project for the majority of the afternoon which ranges from Box clean-up to data analysis. Then at some point I usually run to an embassy to pick up or drop off a visa.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? It has either been the time I translated a partner’s proposal into our template because it was so challenging or mapping out our water projects on Google Maps. Both of them allowed me to use cool techniques I’ve learned while interning here.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? I love how integral our personal relations are to the work we do. This is my fifth internship, and before this, a senior member of the team has never taken me for coffee to just talk. It also makes coming in to work each day exciting because you look forward to seeing everyone. Beyond the social aspect, everything in Water Programs is a team effort, and it’s incredible to see how building these relationships here translates to building relationships in the field.
What are your hobbies outside of work? I like rowing, photography, running, walking my sisters’ dog Monkey and baking.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? When I was 16 I did a study abroad program in Barcelona before I learned a word of Spanish. It was a month long, and I had never been away from home for more than 10 days before.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. I recently won the Senior Excellence Award from my fraternity. It’s given out to 12 seniors annually out of the several thousand that apply. It was just an amazing culmination to all the work I’ve put into this organization over the past four years.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? I really want to see a musical or Cedar Lake Ballet company.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? Elephant. My friends always tell me I’m the mom of our friend group, and elephants have one of the few matriarchal societies. Also because rowing has given me massive legs.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Probably Scott’s. I would get to hang out with everyone from here, and there would definitely be some crazy celebrity appearances.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Me.
Beatriz Ariza School of Current Job: City College of New York From: New York
Fun fact about you: I used to be part of a professional performing salsa group.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Check my inbox as soon as I get here. I usually have quite a few emails waiting for me, along with checking to see if any of the gifts I have to send out for that day arrived.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? I consider myself the birthday santa clause for The Well members, so finding a the perfect gift for each one has been challenging but fun.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? The environment. To be surrounded by people that truly love what they’re doing and be willing to work hard to make the mission a reality.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Since I no longer dance, I would say I read a lot. When I have the opportunity to squeeze in a book I do. I am constantly being gifted books that I am still trying to catch up on.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Probably something related to food; I’m food adventurous. I’ve eaten a Mexican grasshopper before (do not recommend). As well as tried balut which looks really odd but actually tastes pretty good once you get over the appearance.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Probably learning how to code on my own and getting into a program that I had wanted. As soon as I heard the news I was telling everybody, even if they didn’t know what I was talking about. I was way too excited.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? To be working hopefully in Dhaka for the summer. It’s something that I have been planning for a while but have had to keep putting on hold.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? A panda! No reason, I just think they are obnoxiously cute.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Drake! I can say Drake right? Or Oprah. I missed an opportunity to hear her speak which I was really upset about. Perhaps an Oprah and Drake birthday.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? More beanbags! You can never have enough beanbags!
Tell us your best joke. I’m the type of person that can never finish telling a joke. I am too busy laughing while saying the joke that you never get to actually hear it.
Lisa Thomas School or Current Job: Office Management Intern/Stand-in & photo double on random TV shows From: California
Fun fact about you: Despite being California born and raised, I don’t like sushi, surfing, or kale…….they’re probably going to revoke my California Certificate of Authenticity for saying this.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Every day in the office is different for me. I help the Office Manager with anything and everything whether it’s keeping things organized, stocked, and looking pretty, preparing a thorough plan for the office move, creating new systems to support the office and staff size, or making LOTS of coffee… and maybe drinking some myself.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Planning for the move to the new office. There are so many moving parts and initial projects, it constantly keeps me on my toes! Seeing it start to come together and knowing that charity: water will have a beautiful work space at the end of this is a major reward.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? Beside the snacks??? The people! The office consists of so many talented people that are the beating heart of this organization. The passion, integrity, and dedication is contagious.
What are your hobbies outside of work? I enjoy tasting all of the pizza in New York, trying new brunch spots, and traveling and exploring the East Coast with my husband.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? River rafting, ziplining through the rainforest in Costa Rica, marriage.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. My proudest accomplishment to date is moving across the country with my husband. We left behind our family, friends, belongings, and jobs in order to take advantage of new opportunities and change career paths. It’s been our biggest challenge and our biggest accomplishment as a team.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? Soaking up ALL of the sunshine. Finding hiking trails upstate. Checking Canada off of my travel list. Meeting my soon-to-be newest nephew.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? My spirit animal is definitely a panda. Yes, because they are adorable, but more so because they are so laid back and playful, just enjoying life and snacking on some bamboo. I think they’re a great reminder to lighten up, play a little, and enjoy life……and snacks.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? I would attend C.S. Lewis’ birthday party. I’d love to pick his brain about life and faith……and I bet he’d have some pretty amazing people there as guests too.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? In my dream world I would include a fire pit in the quiet space. I’d settle for a fire place though…..imagine the s’mores possibilities!!!
Tell us your best joke. Why can’t you give Elsa a balloon?…… Because she’ll Let it Go!!
Rachel Precious School or Current Job: Brand ambassador for Leaf & Ardor Tea Company From: Westport, CT
Fun fact about you: I was born in Dublin, Ireland
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Always starts with a cup of tea, and always with a dollop of honey (I love honey!). Throughout the day I’ll help Jaclyn manage everything from massive amounts of, let’s say… “loosely organized” files.. to booking flights and hotels all over the world. My lunch breaks consist of a walk to the piers and stretching out on a bench soaking up as much sun as possible!
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Organizing all the data and files related to c: w’s major fundraising events, like Charity Ball and Tribute! It’s amazing learning the nitty gritty behind-the-scenes info on what goes into such incredible nights. The work highlights the strengths of some events, and what areas could use improvement, and helps our team gain clarity as we plan future events.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? Being surrounded by like-minded people who are working towards solving an issue as immense as the water crisis. c: w brings together a vibrant collection of personalities with a wide array of skills and knowledge, creating a fun and creative work environment where great work is accomplished every single day.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Massively into yoga, and anything to do with traveling and the outdoors. I LOVE camping: there’s nothing like a good hike with friends, cooking over a fire, throwing back a few beers, and sleeping under the stars. I love to dance, any time, any place – I’m often grooving away in my own little world over here in the Intern Puddle (the name I’ve affectionately given to the tables where us interns work). And bees! I have a beehive at home in CT – come find me if you want to nerd out about bees!
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Taking off for a year of traveling by myself around Australia. When plans to travel with a buddy fell through, I decided I wouldn’t let the lack of company stop me from having what was sure to be a life changing experience. My adventures included camping in the outback studying small mammal populations for several months; living in my tent on a secluded beach studying humpback whale migration; working on a vineyard for an entire vintage season (who knew driving tractors could be so much fun??); and even becoming a certified seagrass monitor!
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Getting to where I am now, here at c: w. I’ve spent my life as what I would call a “professional volunteer” – I volunteer at any and everything I can get my hands on. Which brought me to c: w! My time volunteering at Tribute was hands down one of the best volunteer experiences I’ve had, and I worked hard to pursue a relationship with charity: water. And now here I am, writing this intern blog post!
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? I really want to start going to a lot more shows and concerts. Hopefully by this summer I will have moved into the city from CT and will be able to take full advantage of NYC’s amazing arts and cultural scene; I’d love to spend a day in Central Park and check out some of the free concerts – I’d bring a blanket, an unnecessarily large amount of food, and a pile of friends, and we’d have ourselves a grand ol’ time.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? I’ve always felt a connection with red foxes. They’re very common animals in New England, but they’re rarely seen because they’re timid and active at dawn and dusk. I once hand-raised a group of orphaned fox kits, and they were out of control! So playful and full of personality, and irresistibly fluffy.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Ernest Hemmingway. He and his crew really knew how to throw down! Sitting outside at a Parisian cafe, drinking too much and getting in obnoxious literary and philosophical arguments and causing a scene before a raucous night on the town with fellow writers and artists – sounds like a good time to me!
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Plants! Lots and LOTS of plants! We need plenty of green in our space. According to my quick Google research: green is often used in decorating for its calming effect, and it’s thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomachaches. Green also represents tranquility, good luck, and health. And! Researchers have also found that green can improve reading ability.
Tell us your best joke. What do you call a cow with no legs? GROUND BEEF!!! :)
Jonathan Tan School or Current Job: NYU From: Singapore
Fun fact about you: I keep a list of fun facts written down just for questions like these.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Assembling project updates and completion reports for our water project sponsors, the occasional donor research, and keeping our NetSuite records nice and clean. I basically live on spreadsheets.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Definitely staffing at Tribute last year and getting to know and interact with the major supporters that help charity: water run year-to-year. Some of the people that helped us set up for the event were invited guests themselves, if that tells you anything about their generosity.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? That we start the week with bagels and end it with pizza. We’re a well-fed office.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Sport climbing, photojournalism, collecting bad jokes, making lists of my hobbies, hiking, and more recently, cooking. I’ve been told I make a pretty great pesto.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? A friend and I hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail last summer – we hitched a ride to New Hampshire and just headed south. Our packs were way too heavy and I didn’t bring the right kind of pants, but we met some amazing people out there. Our first night camping out, we shared a hut with this couple that’d been on the trail for five months straight. Another guy that we were sharing food with told us how he’d just chased off a bear the day before.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Freshman year, I was photographing a talent show at NYU when Judah Friedlander showed up to do a short standup set between acts. I’m a big 30 Rock fan, so I continued shooting. I showed him the photos backstage and he ended up using one for a magazine interview a few months later. Pretty cool deal.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? 1. Getting my thesis done 2. Getting my thesis done 3. Getting my thesis done 4. Hey, have I told you about my thesis?
What’s your spirit animal? Why? Probably a mountain goat. I’ll eat anything, and I love climbing.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Bill Hader, but only as his SNL character Stefon. Stefon would throw such a mean birthday party. It would have everything.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? A bouldering wall, because a gym would be boring. Or maybe a plant nursery, where you could grow some tomatoes in your spare time. We could compost!
Tell us your best joke. - Knock knock. - Who’s there? - To. - To who? - To whom.
Jan Way Chen School or Current Job: New York City College of Technology From: New York
Fun fact about you: When I was in elementary school, my dream job was to be a paleontologist.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? If I’m not trying to tackle the small projects assigned to me, I get to see Mani or Ian in action when issues arise, when staff has requests, or when preemptive measures need to be taken. There’s always something new to learn every day.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? My favorite project currently is probably compiling a list of old equipment that we will soon recycle or donate. It’s a hands-on project that requires testing the equipment. It can be a bit fun.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? My favorite thing about working at charity: water is the staff members. The staff members are friendly, bright, and amazing people.
What are your hobbies outside of work? I guess my hobbies would be watching TV, surfing the web, video games, and relaxing activities.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? When I rode on a roller coaster for the first time, it was terrifying. Hours later, I rode on another roller coaster, thinking the experience will be different, but it was still terrifying. That is as adventurous as it will get for me.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. My proudest accomplishment was probably when I did my first presentation for work. I thought it went well for it being my first time and with my fear of public speaking. All that hard work paid off.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? I think the wolf is my spiritual animal. The wolf values freedom, but understands that there are still important responsibilities that must get done.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? It would probably be Bill Murray’s birthday party. I would imagine that it’s an entertaining and fun party given the snippets I’ve read about him.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Numerous décor that helps convey the setting, theme, or vibe that charity: water wants to portray would be cool.
Tell us your best joke. Why was the bicycle not able to stand up by itself? Because it was two tired!
Cooper Crouch School or Current Job: The King’s College, Class of 2015 From: McAllen, Texas
Fun fact about you: I put ice in everything I drink and consider it a snack food.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Coffee. Always starts with coffee. I manage incoming inquiries from corporations interested in supporting charity: water, answer questions about ongoing corporate relationships, jump in on calls with manager and write down everything I can to refer to later and learn more, and sometimes I hangout up front and cover reception!
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? I got to research and track lifetime giving for one of our biggest corporate supporters – and let them know just how many people they’ve given water to. That was a great day!
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? The people. I love the people I work with, the people that support us and the people we serve.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Exploring the city with my friends – new openings and different neighborhoods.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Is “moved to NYC cliche”? Last summer I left the city and worked at a summer camp in East Texas. That might not sound that adventurous, but let me tell you it was a big change for this city girl.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Can I say interning at charity: water?
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? Intrepid movie nights.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? Gorilla. It’s inexplicable. Probably began with my fierce love of Mighty Joe Young.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Elvis. Because he’s The King.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Nap pods. Yes, we all want nap pods.
Tell us your best joke. Why do cows wear cowbells? Because their horns don’t work. Hysterical, right..?
Casey Michael School or Current Job: The Fashion Institute of Technology From: Otisville, New York
Fun fact about you: When I grow up I want to buy a food truck and sell life changing street food on a tropical island.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Typically you can find me in the creative corner designing cool stuff for even cooler people.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Designing the new business cards for charity: water
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? My favorite thing about working at charity: water is the people. It is so inspiring to be surrounded by passionate people who are so mission driven. Everyone at charity: water loves what they do and with no exaggeration the best people you will meet.
What are your hobbies outside of work? When I am not at charity: water or working on my senior thesis you can probably find me supporting my favorite bands at a show or some friends at a comedy club.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? Bike ride around the entire city. Get invited to the Met gala. Visit every speakeasy.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? I have never connected to an animal in a spiritual way. I would like to take this time to give a shout out to all the sharks out there.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? P.Diddy, that would just be epic.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Library and Hot tub.
Tell us your best joke. Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella? Fo’ drizzle.
Jacquelyn Haye School or Current Job: Middle Tennessee State University alum/bartender From: Nashville, TN
Fun fact about you: Five years ago, I sang at Carnegie Hall with my chorus group! That was pretty amazing.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? No day is the same at charity: water! But usually it involves a lot of interaction with supporters and campaigner. That can be a phone call, email, or people coming into the office. I love talking with others that support our work at charity: water. It’s such an amazing community. I also have the joy of sending our mycharity: water campaigners and supporters fun gifts too!
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? I completely edited and revamped the support macros on Zendesk. It took a while since there are so many, but it felt great to head something up and finish it! It also really helped me adopt the charity: water voice quickly. Those macros take constant editing, but I’m definitely glad the bulk of it is over! I feel like such a Zendesk expert now.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? Beer + Pizza! :) I love working at charity: water because the office environment is so warm and lighthearted. Everyone is passionate about what they do- which is really encouraging to be around. There’s constantly a positive energy in the office, and every person there is giving their all for charity: water’s mission.
What are your hobbies outside of work? I love taking my dog to the park and trying out fun new restaurants. My all time favorite thing to do is travel and experience new things!
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? I would probably say the answer to this is the same as my proudest accomplishment so far, but I guess skydiving is pretty high on my list, too!
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. I sold my car, quit my job, found a sublet and moved to New York 4 months ago. I’m really proud of taking the initial leap of faith to come out here. It seems like it was a pretty great decision!
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? BRUNCH. I’m trying to force myself to like running so I can run all over the city exploring new neighborhoods this spring and summer. Stay tuned for how that goes! I also can’t wait to go to the BEACH!
What’s your spirit animal? Why? A dolphin I think. They’re so carefree and happy. At least I think so. My spirit animal is definitely one of those life saving dolphins. Yup.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Elton John. There’s no way he doesn’t throw a good party.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? I think a brainstorming room would be really cool. Lounge furniture, soft instrumental music, and maybe even no talking in the room. That way you can come back to your team with a clear head and fresh ideas! We focus so much on innovation at charity: water- sometimes it’s good to take a step back and clear your head to encourage creativity!
Tell us your best joke. What did the buffalo say to his kid as he left for school? Bye, son! (Bison) ha… get it?
Karla Reynado School or Current Job: Emory University Alum
Fun fact about you: I dread getting haircuts because I’m super ticklish.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? I support Jaclyn with her day-to-day operations, which can include: updating Netsuite, researching potential key relationships, mailing packages, creating Keynote presentations, and assisting in donor stewardship.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? I like researching potential key relationships because it allows me to see other foundations or organizations’ interpretation and approach to the water crisis or charity as a whole – I was able to see different examples of creativity and innovation, pretty cool.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? I am inspired by the office energy at charity: water, everyone is very hardworking and creative at their job.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Exploring the city – there’s always a cool, unexpected shop or restaurant right around a corner.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Snorkeling near a sunken, abandoned ship in Palawan, Philippines.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. I am able to unplug for a few hours without feeling a need to read an email or a Facebook post.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? I’d like to attend to as many (free) outdoor concerts and summer festivals as I can, without breaking my bank account.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? Owl – usually associated with learning and wisdom. I realized that I’m always trying to learn something, whether it is a new skill or an alternative perspective.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? I would attend my grandfather’s birthday (my father’s father). He passed away before I was born, so I’d love to learn more about him especially about his experiences in WWII.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Napping pods or a massage chair.
Emily School or Current Job: The New School From: Southern California
Fun fact about you: Once upon a time, I took bowling classes!
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Answering supporter emails, writing letters to campaigners, shipping jerry cans, and snacking :)
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? I did a project researching different crowdfunding platforms and websites and it peaked my interest in user experience design.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? The people. I love that everyone in the office is sharp, passionate, and extremely kind.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Photography, museum hopping, reading.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Living next to an (active) volcano in Ecuador for a year.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Surviving my first winter in the East Coast! Shout-out to my family and friends for their support (+ my uggs for keeping my feet warm).
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? The cherry blossom festival in Brooklyn, picnics in the sun and hopefully a music festival.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? A bird because they’re joyful and free!
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Jesus or Oprah. They’re my favs.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Maybe a ball bin? Like the ones at McDonalds. That would be fun!
Tell us your best joke. What did Jay-Z call his girlfriend before they got married? Feyoncé.
Tim School or Current Job: Taylor University From: Winnipeg, Canada
Fun fact about you: Pursuing a degree in Environmental Science.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you? Brainstorming ideas to make future charity: water projects more sustainable.
What’s your favorite project so far in your internship? Working to improve Pipeline through our monitoring programs.
What’s your favorite thing about working at charity: water? That the people I’m working with come from such diverse backgrounds, but that we all share a similar passion and focus. And pizza on Fridays is a nice touch as well.
What are your hobbies outside of work? Photography, travel and travel photography.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? Backpacked around northern India for 3 months.
Tell us about your proudest accomplishment. Did not die while backpacking around northern India for 3 months.
What’s on your NYC bucket list for this spring/summer? Developing a thick New York accent.
What’s your spirit animal? Why? The manatee. They always look incredibly relaxed.
If you could attend the birthday party of anyone (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? I would go to my own 17th birthday party again. It was a pretty awesome party.
We’ve moving into a new office this summer. What cool feature or amenity would you include in the new space? Dedicated intern lounge.
Two years ago, I started working with an incredible charity: water supporter named Siobhan and her husband, Terry, on an epic fundraising campaign for Nepal.
Siobhan was setting out to climb Mt. Everest and she wanted to change the lives of people in Nepal while doing it.
I worked with the couple for months, and every email they sent inspired me more than the last. All told, they raised more than $107,000 for clean water projects in Nepal. That is a rare and incredible feat. But now, I’ve come to realize, that’s typical for these two.
In April of 2013, Siobhan started her journey to summit Mt. Everest.
She made it to Basecamp and then noticed swelling in her right arm. She saw an on-site doctor, who recommended she head home. The news was heartbreaking. She’d trained for months and flown thousands of miles, only to be told to turn back.
Disappointed, she boarded a plane back to San Francisco. But during her layover in Hong Kong, she changed her mind. She decided to turn around and give it another go.
Siobhan flew back to Kathmandu, trekked back to Everest, and made it to an elevation of about 24,500 feet. Yet so close to her goal, due to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (which can be deadly), she had to turn back again.
Still, this amazing woman didn’t head home and say, “Well, at least I tried.” Instead, she promised she would go back another year.
Right now, Siobhan is running another clean water campaign. This one is called “Everest Again.”
Yes, Siobhan is back on Mt. Everest. This time, she was prepared. She was ready to crush that mountain, climb her heart out, and stand atop the world. But in 40 seconds last Saturday, everything changed.
On April 25, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, it shook the world’s highest peak. Siobhan was on Mt. Everest at the time, climbing a ladder at the Khumbu Icefall. Thankfully, she was uninjured and managed to reach Camp 1 along with four other climbers. But the quake triggered avalanches, cutting Basecamp off from the higher parts of the peak.
For two and a half days, Siobhan and her fellow climbers remained stranded.
On Monday, she finally made it back to Basecamp. By Friday, she’d been taken safely to Kathmandu. Soon, she’ll be heading back to the States.
This isn’t a story about standing on top of the world. This is a story about changing the world.
Siobhan might not be summiting Mt. Everest this year, but I know this won’t be the end of her story.
Even through everything that’s happened since the earthquake, Siobhan has raised more than $20,000 for clean water this year.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Siobhan’s husband, Terry, all week. Throughout uncertainty and fear, he’s kept me and the charity: water team in the loop, as we waited anxiously for Siobhan reach safety. It’s something I will forever be grateful for.
No matter what Siobhan’s future holds, here at charity: water, we’ll be watching. Her hard work and dedication has brought clean water to hundred of people. Her fundraising efforts have changed hundreds of lives.
charity: water supporters are incredible.
They’re the reason I get up in the morning and skip to work. They’re the reason I believe that one person has the power to change the world. They make me a better person.
At times, they even put their lives on the line, because they believe the same thing we do: They believe every person on the planet should have clean and safe drinking water, and that the craziest thing we can do to help is nothing.
This past September, Ruthy created her second birthday campaign for charity: water with a challenge… to walk 20,000 steps every day for a month.
After a friend gifted her a Fitbit, she decided that it was crazy NOT TO to walk 10 miles each day to help raise money for clean water. So she began counting her steps.
She told us that there were definitely days when it was tough, but the encouragement she received (from her 4-year old nephew to her 96-year old grandmother) pushed her to keep the eye on the prize: clean and safe drinking water for 100 people in need.
We’ve had the privilege of getting to know Ruthy as a volunteer, fundraiser, and friend of the organization, and we’re so grateful for her.
Ruthy, thank you partnering with us and believing in our mission!
This past weekend, an incredible group of students from Alpha Kappa Psi at Miami University (in Ohio!) hosted their own version of The Amazing Race in support of charity: water. And they crushed it!
They put together a campus-wide event where teams of four could sign up to race throughout campus and compete in challenges — and rallied a massive student community on behalf of a community on the other side of the globe.
According to Mickey, VP of Philanthropy of Alpha Kappa Psi, the fraternity registered more runners (128 racers signed up) than any pledge project before them. And judging by the promo video below, I would imagine they also had a ton of fun.
In the end, Alpha Kappa Psi raised more than $1,700 for clean water. Which is amazing. Thank you for all your hard work and creativity! We can’t wait to share with you the impact you’ve made.
When you chat with Savannah (even if it’s solely via email), you can’t help but feel drawn to her spark and fiery spirit for our mission. It should come as no surprise that this isn’t her first charity: water campaign.
When we talked about her strategy this time around, she shared some insights from her prior fundraising. Two years ago, when she gave up 22nd birthday, Savannah realized the single most important thing was to thank her donors — and to thank them profusely. Without their generosity, the work wasn’t possible.
Coupled with her mom’s tradition of sending everyone thank you notes, Savannah was inspired to illustrate three lessons she learned in her 23rd year and lay them over photos she took on a recent trip. She then printed them into beautiful custom postcards to write heartfelt notes for each donation made to her campaign.
Savannah mentioned to me that a birthday campaign is “the easiest way to open people’s eyes to the world around them, including the water crisis… and be a part of something much greater than themselves.” I couldn’t agree more.
We’ve already received a handful of postcards at our office, and you can get yours too. Go be part of something greater than yourself and donate to Savannah’s 24th birthday campaign!
Liza has been supporting our work for years. She’s volunteered at our office, traded her birthday gifts for donations and even helped our staff provide food and supplies to housing projects during Hurricane Sandy. She’s incredible. And while we’ve always been grateful for her belief in our mission, her most recent campaign has me feeling all kind of feelings — and thinking a lot about generosity, purpose and intention.
When Liza was diagnosed with heart arrhythmia, she said, “Extra heart beats?! Well, the romantic in me immediately embraced the diagnosis!” She declined medication that would regulate the extra beat as a reminder to love in whatever way she possibly could. But eventually she was told that she’d need to have a heart procedure to prevent anything potentially life-threatening.
Liza took the opportunity to publicly share a personal story and bring light to what really makes her heart beat and how she can use this organ to its full potential… to love those around her and those in need.
So she dedicated her heart surgery to charity: water.
We got to chat the day after the procedure, and as we hoped, everything went perfectly well. She shared with me how powerful it felt walking into the operation knowing that over 30 people were going to receive access to clean and safe drinking water. As she lay on the surgery table, she even thanked all of her nurse practitioners for indirectly being a part of that impact.
The terminology that the doctor used when talking about her procedure was to “burn a scar onto the heart.” Liza says she sees the scar as a beautiful and unique representation of something that’s ingrained in her forever — a “lighting of fire” and love that’s forever physically represented.
When I first came across Liza’s campaign, I couldn’t help but be floored by how beautifully she conveyed her story through her mission statement: “charity:water owns a little piece of real estate in my heart, so it seems fitting to dedicate my heart surgery.” I can’t do justice to the magnitude of service, compassion, commitment and generous spirit, but Liza, I mean it when I say that we are absolutely honored to have your support.
