In an interesting example of corporate philanthropy Levi Strauss has teamed up with Water.org (and celebrity spokesperson Matt Damon) to raise awareness of the one billion people in the world who do not have access to clean water and Levi’s own manufacturing enhancements aimed at saving water. The Go Water < Less campaign is an effort to “give to others what we take for granted” and may result in three positive outcomes for Levi’s: sustainability of the company’s reputation for corporate social responsibility, enhancement of employee pride, and most importantly, the chance to make a difference for those who suffer from lack of access to this most basic resource.

On April 16 I had the privilege of attending the awards ceremony for The Goldman Environmental Prize Program, the world’s largest prize honoring grassroots environmentalists. This year’s six Goldman Prize recipients—women and men who literally risk their lives to safeguard the environment—are extraordinary and their work was truly eye-opening for me. It is one thing to know that development projects worldwide are destroying ecosystems, communities and cultures, but quite another to see and feel the impact of this destruction through individual stories. For inspiration and information, visit the prize website.

Just learned about Mama Hope, a young nonprofit in San Francisco. Two things about them caught my eye: a short music video they posted online and this, “At Mama Hope, we believe that the essential first step in changing the world is telling the story of connection instead of contrast and potential instead of poverty. People everywhere have talent and capacity, and people everywhere share a desire to be able to use those gifts to improve their lives and the lives of the people they care about.” Reposting their upbeat message just feels like the right thing to do on a day when the news of the world has been so dire. Special thanks to A Band of Wives for bringing this to my attention.

I recommend seeing “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” an extraordinary documentary about a small group of Liberian women who, against all odds, helped win a long-awaited peace for their shattered country in 2003. When I say “against all odds” what I really mean is “in the face of the extraordinarily brutal violence perpetuated by Liberia’s then president Charles Taylor and the warlords who opposed him.” This is the story of courageous women and their desperate prayer for peace triumphing over terror, greed and a horrifying arsenal of weaponry and violence. It sets the mind to rethinking what is possible…My thanks to AJWS for screening the film throughout the Bay Area.

American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is stimulating an important conversation through their “Where Do You Give” campaign. Noting that the connectedness of the world makes it as easy to give to a project 10,000 miles away as it is to give to your local food bank, AJWS is asking two questions: “Does the accessibility we enjoy through the Internet and the preponderance of information available to us actually make us better donors? And what is the role of those who provide guidance and context when information alone is not enough to inform wise giving decisions?” My experience overwhelmingly points to the value of trusted advisors and intermediaries like AJWS and Global Fund for Women (who are especially helpful when you are making international gifts to NGOs without fiscal sponsors or 501(c)(3) status). One thoughtful contribution to the conversation can be read here. I look forward to reading more.