This year, I'm giving my birthday up. I'm turning 27 years old, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $27 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 nations. 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 walk hours each day to get dirty water to give to their families. My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts; 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. Please join me. Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.

I know I'm getting up there in years, so if $27 isn't in the budget, anything will help. Even $5. If I reach my goal of $800 that means 40 people will have clean drinking water!

Matthew did this for his birthday and I was planning on doing it for mine too, but now there is even more reason to do it. Recently there was a 9 year old named Rachel who goes to our church who was killed in a car accident. The month before she had given up her birthday for charity: water. She didn't reach her goal of $300, but she was determined she would reach it next year and more. After the accident her charity: water page was reopened and the word spread. Her donations went from $220 to $1,000 to $30,000 to $100,000 to $186,000 to $210,252 as I write this now. It's so amazing to me that one selfless act by a little girl has had such an impact. It humbles and inspires me. May we all learn from Rachel's selflessness and follow in her footprints.

Thank you for helping me help others!

Rachel's campaign is now up to 1.2 million!