During the holiday season it is always better to give than to receive, and with that in mind, CORE’s Christian Rogers renewed his involvement with a special charity this year. As the CORE Blog heads into a break until the new year, Christian tells us about this important cause.
Hosts Tyler Perry and Jessica Biel (L); The Waterwalk, partially sponsored by CORE and Midtown Equities (R).
It’s been a fantastic year, so I was really excited to be able to give back. It’s funny how giving back, however, is not exactly straightforward. There are so many great causes and so many fantastic charities. How does one choose? The existence of sites like Charity Navigator can make it easier, but the fact that they exist, and the many different categories and sub categories they list for qualifying charities, is a testament to the complexity of choosing a cause.
Not being predisposed to a particular cause, I applied some basic criteria. The charity had to be efficient, meaning as much money as possible had to go directly to helping people on the ground rather than to paying for administrative costs. It also had to help a large number of people in a fundamental way.
As I searched I came across an incredibly efficient charity with an incredibly big, yet clear goal that was excellently branded – charity: water, a non-profit organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to developing nations. Scott Harrison, the founder, has a big objective with a very simple approach: bring clean drinking water to 1 billion people, make sure 100% of public donations go directly to funding projects, prove to donors where their donations are spent, and in his own words, “not suck at design!”
Immediately I was drawn in by the mission and by the brand. All of the fundamental elements of the charity are the same that are fundamental to my business: big but clear goals, efficiency, and great branding! In fact, the mission and the brand are so compelling that for a second year, CORE and Midtown Equities joined in donating to the cause by funding part of the Waterwalk. a hands-on experience at the annual charity: ball of what it’s like to carry 80lbs of water. So this year I am happy to say that, together, we have made a little bit of a difference. To donate to charity: water, fill out the organization’s quick and easy online form.
Ultimately, however, as my wife and better half reminds me, there are so many ways to give back and they don’t necessarily involve giving money. The important thing is that in whatever way we can, we make a difference!