If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

If I had a million dollars I would give it to a non-profit organization called Charity Water started in 2006 by Scott Harrison. Why? Well let me tell you why.

Did you know that at least 696 million people in our world, in the year 2026, lack access to clean drinking water? Do you know what that means? It means a good portion of those people will die from illnesses caused by unclean water; deaths we could help prevent simply by helping to provide them with something we thoughtlessly waste every day: clean water.

In many rural areas of Africa and the Middle East the girls and women walk miles every morning to collect  water for their families, knowing they are playing Russian roulette with their health. Because the only water available to them comes from polluted sources teeming with pathogens. Yet, this water, a necessity for supporting life, is also the leading cause of death, particularly for children, in their communities.

It is estimated that roughly 1,000 children under the age of five die every day from illnesses directly caused by contaminated water. That adds up to nearly 400,000 children under five dying from easily preventable diseases and infections brought on by unclean water. And when we factor in young people under 15, the annual deaths statistic increases significantly.

Imagine this. You are the mother or father of an infant or a toddler. And you know every time you give your child a drink of water, there is a very good chance that the  water will cause the death of your child. But so will the lack of water.

I will never forget watching a short video on You Tube about Charity Water. In the middle there was a scene depicting a mother holding a baby bottle. The water was brown and murky. But the insects swimming in the water were perfectly clear. 

That was all I could take. I put my phone down and made my first donation. And I became a monthly contributor despite my modest income provided by a Social Security check alone each month. I urge you to watch that video  I’m curious how far you will get.                           http://www.charitywater.org

Charity Water is  dedicated to making clean water available to every human on earth. It is a noble goal. But so are many others. The goal, although important to me, is not the only reason I choose to give my very limited resources to Charity Water.

I am very impressed by the values of the founder. You can learn more about him in the video. But one thing I find important is that the organization is famous for its 100% Model. That means that unlike most other charities, 100%  of your donations go to the water projects, not a penny to I overhead or salaries.  Scott has set up an entirely separate organization to raise money for that. Those donations along with a dedicated group of private donors and corporate sponsors fund the operational costs.

Okay, I’ll stop now. I think I’ve said enough to demonstrate my passion for this cause and this organization. Most of us don’t have a cool million sitting around  wondering what to do with it. But I would urge you to invest any spare change you have in providing the world with clean water and the life it supports.