Wells of Life donors and Gala Attendees: Philanthropists Donna & Dick Pickup (left), Legacy Circle Members Mai Huynh and John McMahon (center), well donor Erin Walker (right)
Henry Walker, President of Farmers & Merchants Bank (Center) honors Art & Gaye Birtcher with Humanitarian Award
Italian Catholic Federation honors Nick Jordan with Pope St. John XXIII Humanitarian Award
CA-Based Nonprofit Earns No.4 Spot in Two Categories in Annual Charity Event Guide
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, February 11, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Wells of Life, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe access, to clean water for the people of Uganda, recently received two top awards by the prominent ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL in their annual Charity Event Guide.
Wells of Life was ranked in the top five in net revenue in two categories: 1) Dinners/Galas, 2) Walk/Runs, earning the no. 4 spot in both, it was announced.
Both events broke all previous fundraising records for the California-based organization. Since the first well was drilled in 2010, Wells of Life has raised funds to provide water to 820 rural Ugandan communities to date.
“It’s a huge honor for Wells of Life to have placed in the top five for both of our flagship events alongside some of the most branded charities in the business,” said Nick Jordan, Wells of Life Founder and CEO.
“We are truly in good company with some of the other notable winners, including the Salvation Army Orange County, Alzheimer’s Association Orange County Chapter, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation,” he said.
• Last year, the Wells of Life Legacy Circle Gala, held on November 4, 2021, at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, raised an astonishing $1.8M.
• The Wells of Life Run4Water, held July 11, 2021, raised $226,000.
Aside from the Legacy Circle Gala, Run4Water is the biggest fundraising event of
“We are truly grateful for our sponsors and many friends, and the outpouring of support from Orange County and beyond. This support has helped us transform lives in Uganda,” said Jordan.
Wells of Life also recently received the highest rank – platinum -- designed by GuideStar, a charity assessment organization that provides insights into a nonprofit’s financial stability, adherence to best practices for both accountability and transparency, and results reporting.
In addition to the organization, Jordan himself was recognized in 2020 for his philanthropic efforts by the Italian Catholic Federation as the 50th recipient of their Pope Saint John XXIII Humanitarian Award.
Past winners of the prominent Catholic award include the late comedian, Danny Thomas (St. Jude’s Hospital), Congressman Frank Annunzio, Dick Butkus (NFL Hall of Famer), Karl Karcher (Carl’s Jr. Founder), Bruno Serato (The White House Restaurant) and actor Joseph Campanella.
“Our supporters realize this is about more than writing a check, it’s about having a global impact,” said Jordan. “By creating life-giving water wells in Ugandan communities, we not only change the health and lives of those in need, but we help provide the foundation of a sustainable global community.”
Jordan’s remarks and the ground-breaking work of Wells of Life -- and the impact of one night of giving – can be seen in a newly released highlights video from the 2021 Legacy Circle Gala: https://vimeo.com/659771271/43bc078fc6
Co-chaired by Jacqueline Dupont-Carlson, Michelle Jordan, and Rosemary Sperry, the evening was made possible by sponsors Lugano Diamonds and Farmers and Merchants Bank.
Honorary Legacy member and Farmers and Merchant Bank President Henry Walker presented the 2021 Humanitarian Award to Art and Gaye Birtcher for their distinguished generosity to Wells of Life for over a decade.
"Wells of Life builds bridges of hope to those who lack this most basic component of life – clean, safe water,” said Walker, a longtime supporter of Wells of Life. “Art and Gaye Birtcher are to be commended for their outstanding support of this meaningful cause.”
Jordan noted that approximately 4,300 children die per day due to unsafe drinking water in Uganda. Yet one well, costing just $8,000 to build, can save 1,000 lives.
This year, Jordan said the organization intends to raise funds for 180 additional wells so that Wells of Life will have provided a total of one million people in Uganda with safe access to clean water by the end of 2022.
The organization’s annual fundraising events, the Run4Water in June, and the Legacy Circle Gala in November, will help achieve those goals.
Wells of Life is a Christian non-profit organization which is committed to improving the quality of lives within rural Ugandan communities by building wells to provide sustainable access to water. Since its founding in 2009, Wells of Life has drilled 653 wells and restored 167 wells, changing lives in immeasurable ways in the process.
“Being ranked in the top five in two categories by THE ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL – and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most well-known charities in the country – is a tremendous boost to Wells of Life and a credit to the organization,” said Jordan.
“Wells of Life has grown in every area. These rankings by the ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL give testament to our growing impact, not only in our communities, and those we serve in Uganda, but in a widening circle of people the world over. Each of us has limitless potential, and I applaud all who have joined us in the fight to eradicate poverty by providing clean drinking water to those in need. With you, I look forward to climbing the mountain,” said Jordan.
About Wells of Life: Founded in 2010, Wells of Life is a Christian nonprofit organization that delivers clean water to rural Uganda by drilling wells and teaching sustainable sanitation and hygiene. Our Vision is to create a world in which safe access to clean water is available to all people. For more information on Wells of Life, visit: www.wellsoflife.org or contact Nick Jordan (WOL): 855.935.5763.
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