Today’s wine of the week, Sonoma Chardonnay from Stark Thirst, has special meaning for me because it is a wine that has as part of its’ mission giving back to an organization I believe in, WaterAid. WaterAid is an international development agency that works on providing access to clean water, safe and clean sanitation and hygiene (WASH). These are such basic human rights that we often take them for granted. Today is #GivingTuesday and many are thinking of what organization to support. Stark Thirst, for example, supports WaterAid through a portion of every bottle it sells.  A look at WaterAid’s website will show the scope of the problems we are talking about: 783 million people without access to clean water and 2.5 billion people without access to safe and clean sanitation. That said, all is not lost and every dollar counts.

Two additional organizations are in my thoughts today, oddly enough, both were started by friends of mine from camp. Andrew Buerger started Climb for Hope when his sister, also a camp friend, Jodi, was diagnosed with cancer. A tragic story and devastating for all who knew lovely Jodi, Andy has created hope and inspiration. Climb for Hope raises money to fund breast cancer research which will potentially make this world safer for all women including Jodi’s daughter.

The last organization that I want to mention is Afya created by Danielle Butin. Danielle, one of the most energetic people I have ever met, created an organization that partners with a network of donor hospitals, health organizations, corporations and individual households for the collection of medical supplies and humanitarian provisions.

Afya has established a supply system tailored to the needs of its donation institutions. They have implemented a citywide strategy for this course of action and pick up medical supplies from hospitals, health care centers and individual’s homes. Weekly trips into New York City and surrounding areas result in the collection of supplies that will save lives abroad.
The unceasing demand from the international community necessitates a steady flow of domestic donations to Afya.

I will get off my soap box but after all the “shopping” holidays, today is a day to give back in whatever form we see fit.