Hey, this is Joey from charity: water. I work on our fundraising team, which means I think a lot about gratitude. Being grateful is practically my whole job!

Kidding. Mostly. 

But it's true that my work in philanthropy — from being a bright-eyed fundraising assistant right out of college to my time working with our incredible donors at charity: water — has reshaped how I think about my life, and about how grateful I am for it.

Just recently, I was reviewing photos from some of our newest water projects in Uganda, including the one above. I found myself thinking: it’s mind-bending how lucky I got. The circumstances of my birth were totally outside of my control. If I’d been dealt different cards, I could just as easily have been on the other side of this work.

At the end of the day, drinking dirty water is just plain unfair. No one chooses to be born into a life without clean water, but almost a billion of us were. Through our work, we have the opportunity to meet many of them: resilient, determined people who work hard every day to tackle their water challenges. 

The good news in this edition of Good News? Because of the cards we were dealt, we have a special opportunity to share our good fortune — and help rebalance the scales. By reaching out to lend a hand, we can help people lead happier and healthier lives. Last month, charity: water supporters like you did just that for over 131,000 people.

Because what's the good of a little luck if you can't share it?