IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE YET, PLEASE WATCH MY VIDEO AT vimeo.com/emilytheis/charitywater

On August 14th, I turned 20. Twenty is strange because people start doing crazy-important-life-things when they hit the 20s decade, like popping out babies and opening Roth IRAs.

But the craziest-most-important-life-thing to me is telling a great story with my life -- and NOT a story in which I am the main character who ends up with a life full of stuff and empty of purpose.

So here's a chapter. Forget lame gifts; I want $2,000 for my 20th birthday. Not for me, but to give 100 people access to clean water who don't have it, for 20 years. Don't those numbers look nice together? 20 years old, $2000, 100 people for 20 years. And what looks even nicer is the fact that 100% of your donation goes straight to giving life to families through pure, tasty, CLEAN water. 18 months later, we'll get coordinates and pictures of the well we built.

I love this charity, and this is the kind of work I want to do in the future, so I'm so happy to have you as a part of this story. I know people ask for money all the time, but I hope my perspective and passion can somehow get to you through the bright computer screen you're staring at. Helping people matters, even if I don't live a life that shows that all the time.

So give $2, $20, or $200 and don't be afraid of the cliche that "every dollar counts." Thanks for celebrating my life with me by helping to give life to others.