Community

I’m lost! If you need me in order to be warm, I’m yours….

The path where I led my dog on our daily walk every day for three years took us along the shores of the vast Lake Coeur d’Alene in the panhandle of Idaho, and as we trundled into the cold lake wind on one of the first chilly mornings of winter, I looked up to see more than twenty hand-knit scarves hanging from a handrail with a note bearing that inscription attached to each one. 

To me, those words were emblematic of the feeling of community I seek in all areas of my life, and especially in the organizations whose missions I support. 

This idea of community can mean something different for everyone. At the root, it is of course literally a shared geographical location. But it can also reflect a common guiding principle, a mutual interest in achieving a specific goal or ideal, or a support system where we pull for one another and make individual contributions to benefit the greater good. 

For me, community is all of those things, and The Water Project’s embodiment of each of these aspects is one of the components that initially attracted me: This large-scale common goal of providing access to clean water for as many people as possible—and to not just drill a well and leave, but to remain invested in the projects we support to ensure their long-term success.

To date, The Water Project has helped to support 2,128 clean water projects impacting 742,700 people in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burkina Fasso, and we’re building on that momentum to extend our reach. I’m so proud to be a part of this large global community working toward such an important goal, and grateful for each and every person who has played a role in making it possible.

The notes attached to the scarves closed with a sentiment I hope everyone who reads this can take with them today and every day:

Be warm. Be happy. Share kindness everywhere you can.

Author: Amy Shellenberger