For me, birthday's have became about a lot more than just getting free stuff. They've become an opportunity celebrate with others the blessings in my life. Even the ones I take for granted...

Like water.

So this year, I'm giving my birthday up.

I'm turning 34 in September, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $34 or more from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells 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. 45,000 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 I don't need; 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.

$5,000 will build a well for a community in need. If 147 of you contributed $34, we'd get there. It's not a lot to us...it's priceless to them.

please note: 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.