Hope-2o

I have some big news: on February 8, Global Giving announced that my video has raised nearly $30,000 for The Girl Effect! I was absolutely astounded when I heard about this, and as it turns out, another organization was pretty impressed as well. Hope-2o, whose mission is “to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles by giving every individual in the United States a stainless steel water bottle,” contacted me the other day about forming a partnership to raise funds for our causes. Hope-2o makes these awesome stainless steel water bottles to raise money for their own cause and another cause that they feel is important. When they heard about what It Only Takes a Girl is doing in support of The Girl Effect, they were interested.

Small disclaimer: several organizations and individuals have emailed me about supporting my cause, forming partnerships, working together, etc., which I think is incredible. However, what many of them did not realize is that It Only Takes a Girl is not actually a funds-collecting organization—it's just me, one girl. My own mission is to raise awareness, encourage donations, and urge volunteerism in support of girls and women around the world, but in fact I am just one girl.

That being said, I was thrilled at the prospect of creating customized water bottles with the “It Only Takes a Girl” logo on them and selling them to raise money for two causes I support: girls, and reducing the consumption of plastic water bottles. (I'm not sure if you saw my recent post on water bottles, but this is also an important issue to me.)

If you are reading this blog, I assume you are already interested in supporting organizations like The Girl Effect, the Worldwide Fistula Fund, Tostan, Girls Learn International, and others that work for the health and education of girls in the developing world. But now you can invest in girls and another important cause, preserving our health and the environment by eliminating plastic water bottles, at the same time. According to Hope-2o, “for every stainless steel water bottle used, we eliminate the use of approximately 180 plastic water bottles per year therefore reducing the serious environmental and health issues caused by plastic water bottles.” I strongly encourage you to purchase an amazing It Only Takes a Girl stainless steel water bottle and to encourage your friends to get some as well. And if you have time, take a moment to look at all these other amazing organizations that Hope-2o has partnered with.

Thank you for supporting our health, the environment, and girls everywhere.