Heights resident Matt Damon practices philanthropy on a global basis with water
Known for his wide array of characters on screen, from Tom Ripley to Jason Bourne, Matt Damon has made his mark in philanthropy with a remarkable mission of providing fresh water to areas around the world where it is scarce. The work in his charity, Water.org, can clearly be classified as an “effective altruism.”
Coordinating with over 150 different organizations, Water.org has been able to coordinate over $4 billion to support loans for access to safe water in over 11 countries in Africa and Asia. Every dollar donated to the charity sanctions $15 for water and sanitation for people who are living in poverty.
Over 771 million people on the planet lack basic access to clean water — and over 1.7 billion don’t have access to sanitation, according to Water.org. One million people die as a result of water-related and — transmitted diseases.
Over 51 million people have access to the loans that Water.org supplies, and in turn they can have basic necessities like indoor plumbing. The progress made on water access has increased exponentially over the past three years, with over half of Water.orgs impacted populations being aided in that span of time.
By giving small loans to people who lack access to clean water, accessibility becomes a fraction of the issue. Through allocating money to people, Water.org provides them the financing necessary to acquire sanitation supplies, or water itself, in lieu of using compromised methods of access.
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.