Look To The Stars News: Water.org

Matt Damon Launches Charity Water Bottle

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:15:00 +0000

This week, Matt Damon and Water.org, the charity he co-founded, are launching a water bottle campaign to help some of the 884 million people who lack access to clean, safe water.

Matt Damon To Be Honored For Charity At Critics' Choice Awards

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:30:00 +0000

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced today that renowned actor and philanthropist Matt Damon will be presented with the fourth annual Joel Siegel Award at the 16th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards. The ceremony will air live on VH1 on Friday, January 14 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

Given annually, this special award pays homage to beloved “Good Morning America” film critic and BFCA member Joel Siegel, who lost his long struggle with cancer in June, 2007.

DoSomething.org's Top 20 2010 Celebrity Charity Champions

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000

DoSomething.org – the website that aims to inspire, support and celebrate a generation of doers: people who see the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action – has released a list of what it considers to be the top 20 “Celebs Gone Good” for 2010.

20. 90210 star AnnaLynne McCord ventured outside of her zip code more than once this year to support her favorite causes, including access to clean water in Africa and helping victims of global sex trade. This Christmas she’s off to Cambodia with Somaly Mam to bring needed supplies to sex trafficking survivors there.

19. Stephen Colbert, who is a massive supporter of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, as well as being on the Board of Directors for the education charity DonorsChoose.org and has even testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee on immigration.

Join A Conference Call With Matt Damon's Water.org

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:30:00 +0000

This is your chance to hear first-hand from Matt Damon’s Water.org about their work in Tigray, Ethiopia, the impact their programs are having on people’s lives, and their plans for the future in this region.

You are invited to be part of a conference call from Water.org’s International Programs Manager, Heather Arney about the charity’s work.

In addition, Water.org’s Chief Community Officer, Mike McCamon, will talk about the third generation of the organization’s field reporting tool, my.Water.org, and how you can receive and share real-time program updates from the field.

Matt Damon’s Water Charity To Receive Million-Dollar Donation

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Business schools from around the world have been invited by Hult International Business School to compete in its second annual Global Case Challenge.

This year’s theme is on clean water, and this year’s recipient of a million-dollar donation to implement the winning team’s solution is Water.org, the organization co-founded by actor Matt Damon to provide communities in developing nations with access to clean water.

Hult has partnered with Bill Clinton’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), whose goal is to link expertise with resources to provide sustainable solutions. One of the obstacles CGI recognizes is that “charitable organizations have grassroots knowledge of problems and know effective solutions to address them, but they have trouble getting to the next stage, overcoming local resistance and seeing the solutions implemented.”

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck To Play Ante Up For Africa Charity Poker

Tue, 18 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Many would love the opportunity to play poker with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and the most skilled poker professionals. Now you can.

The 2010 Ante Up For Africa Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament on Saturday, July 3 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas offers a special opportunity as the only event of its kind where the general public can participate.

Matt Damon's Water.org Needs Your Help For World Water Week

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Today is World Water Day – and to celebrate, Matt Damon’s Water.org and the ONE Campaign want you to donate your voice.

World Water Day on March 22 is an annual initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. This year, all around the globe, a huge number of events are taking place to allow people the chance to be part of a world where EVERYONE can get clean water.

Water.org is inviting people to donate their Facebook and Twitter status for World Water Week. All you need to do is go to OneWeekForWater.org and with one click, Water.org and ONE will post updates on your Facebook/Twitter account to encourage your friends to get involved.

Matt Damon Writes On The Importance Of Giving Back

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Matt Damon has put pen to paper and written an article for Parade Magazine on the importance of giving back.

“Here’s something that matters to me right now,” wrote Damon, who is a founder of Not On Our Watch, H2O Africa and Water.org. "Every 15 seconds, a child dies because of a lack of clean water and sanitation. I should probably repeat that: Every 15 seconds, a child dies because of a lack of clean water and sanitation. A billion people on our planet will never have a clean drink of water. There are 2.5 billion people in the world without toilet facilities. That kind of deprivation isn’t even on our radar in the U.S., but in Africa it’s the central preoccupation of many people’s lives. And the most devastating thing about it is that it takes so little to change it. Just $25 will give someone clean water for life—yes, just $25 will change someone’s future forever.

“I’ve taken a lot of trips in the last few years to places like Africa and India and Haiti to try to learn what conditions are like. You can read about extreme poverty and possible solutions, but it’s really powerful when you get to meet the people and shake their hands and listen to their stories. I try to keep my trips short because my kids are so young that my wife, Lucy, can’t come. We don’t like to be separated, but we both feel it’s so important to learn about these things. There’s so much I don’t know. In the future, I know these trips are something we’ll do as a family.

Matt Damon Opens Clinton Global Initiative For Water.org

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Today at the opening plenary of the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White announced the organization’s $2 million commitment to provide 50,000 people in Haiti with safe water and sanitation over the next three years. As part of the commitment, Water.org has also launched a social media campaign so that anyone can participate in meeting the water challenge in Haiti.

“The situation in Haiti is extreme – it’s the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and nearly half of its people don’t have access to clean water,” said Water.org Co-Founder Gary White. “Expanding Water.org’s programming to Haiti will help people break the cycle of disease and poverty.”

Water.org’s Haiti Commitment will reach beneficiaries with grant-driven programs while also exploring opportunities with microfinance institutions in Haiti under its WaterCredit Initiative. WaterCredit is a financial innovation that brings microfinance to the world’s poor who lack safe water and sanitation. It is the first comprehensive program of its kind to move beyond grant-driven charity and enables microfinance activity in the water and sanitation sector. WaterCredit leverages commercial capital and motivates microfinance institutions to launch loan portfolios to assist the poor who lack basic water and sanitation services.