At the Habitat for Humanity site in Imperial, Calif.

We were split up into teams at two different sites in various degrees of completion. Some of us were hammering, building, and constructing, while the others were painting, gardening, and putting the trimmings on an almost finished house. The site in Imperial, still in the early stages of construction, will be one of Habitat for Humanity’s many LEED-certified homes. At the Downey site, a home is in the final stages for Betty, a single mother of three children, two of whom require special services for their autism. For years, Betty has been known in the city of Downey for her volunteer work, and when she spoke to us during our lunch break, she mentioned how being the beneficiary of others’ generosity has enabled her to afford a home for her family. The best part: She and her children will be able to spend Christmas in their new house.

Betty, the owner of the Habitat for Humanity House in Downey, Calif.

If you’ve never heard of Habitat for Humanity, it’s a nonprofit organization that works in communities around the world to select and support homeowners, organize volunteers, and coordinate house building. The homeowners themselves must personally contribute to the work of their home, in addition to assuming the no-profit mortgage once the home is built.Their mortgage payments, in turn, go to help fund other projects.  Habitat for Humanity has built more than 300,000 houses internationally, providing more than 1.5 million people in 3,000 communities with safe and affordable shelter. They’ve even helped construct/rehabilitate 671 homes in Fiji! It’s a great organization dedicated to alleviating the global housing crisis, and we were honored to be part of their mission.

FIJI Team leader, Moses Hicks, demonstrates the clean water filter.

Since 2008, the Give Clean Water organization has installed more than 1,000 household water filters in communities around Nadi and Ba. Beginning July 2009, the FIJI Water Foundation has donated $30,000 USD (more than $60,000 FJD) toward the installation of as many as 300 water filters in Ba area homes. Friday and Saturday’s volunteers installed more than 130 water filters in the Natunuku and Sasa villages. In 10 years, Give Clean Water aims to install a filter in every home in Fiji.

The PointOne filters, which eliminate 99.9% of all disease-causing bacteria and are designed after filters used in kidney dialysis, come with a lifetime guarantee if used and maintained properly. The Give Clean Water and FIJI Foundation team also conducted a community education session on the importance of drinking clean water. Give Clean Water has three local Fiji staff who will return to these communities in a few weeks to do a follow-up visit and check on the filters.

A big vinaka vakalevu (”thank you”) to everyone who helped out. We really appreciate the gift of your time and effort!

Read more about the Give Clean Water and The FIJI Water Foundation :
Fiji Times: Clean Water at Last for a Flood-Hit Village
Fiji Sun: No More Dirty Water

Nobu Matsuhisa shows off his Chocolate Yuzu dessert, which he served at the FIJI Water booth.

This past weekend, one of America’s premier culinary events, American Wine and Food Festival,† joined together the talent of the world’s top chefs and spirit purveyors for 2,700 party-goers to enjoy a memorable† evening of epicurean delights, fine wines , live music, dancing, and a luxury silent auction, all within the backdrop of fantastic Hollywood movie sets at Universal Studios backlot.

AWFF gives guests the opportunity to sample a variety of tastes from internationally acclaimed chefs while supporting the Meals On Wheels program. Since the event’s inception in 1982, the Puck-Lazaroff Foundation has raised more than $15 million for the program that serves thousands of meals each day to Los Angeles’ homebound, senior, and disabled citizens.

Guests capped the night off in The Lounge, an after-hours retreat featuring sparkling wines from France’s Loire Valley and tempting desserts by a multitude of pastry chefs. Watch the video for a tantalizing recipe from Pastry Chef Gabrielle Riva & Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, a Ghirardelli sponge cake layered with raspberry jelly, set in a yuzu caramel sauce and finished with Ghirardelli dark chocolate cremoso, chai tea ice cream, and caramelized pumpkin seeds.

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Sponge

300g butter
100g confectionery sugar
450g 60% Ghirardelli dark chocolate
500g egg yolks
8g baking powder
200g cake flour
150g almond flour
750g egg whites
320g sucrose

Chai Tea Gelato

523g chai infusion
170g milk
90g milk powder
40g dextrose
20g glucose powder
150g sucrose
7g stabilizer

Dark Chocolate Cremoso

250g milk
250g cream
100g egg yolks
100g sucrose
225g 70% Ghirardelli dark chocolate
Raspberry jelly
1kg raspberry puree
100g sucrose
25g gelatine

Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds

100g pumpkin seeds
60g sucrose

Locals meet on the train to experience the fantastic mobile art exhibit during Art on Track 2008.

For the second year in a row, Chicago plays home to the worldís largest mobile art exhibition, dubbed Art on Track. Join FIJI Water for an unforgettable ride circling the Chicago Loop in celebration of fine arts culture, or be the first to spot the FIJI Water-themed train for a chance to nab a $150 gift certificate for art supplies from Blick!

Created by SALVO, a Chicago non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of visual art, Art on Track is a mobile art experience that takes over an eight-car CTA “L” train to display the fine works and art installations of more than 200 local emerging and established artists. Among train cars furnished by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and others, FIJI Water will provide a car that proudly displays the works created by the Flatiron Artist Association, a renowned artist group and cornerstone of the Wicker Park neighborhood artist community.

In further support of Chicagoís local artist and art student community, we’re offering a $150 Blick gift certificate to the first person to correctly identify the tagline displayed on the outside of the FIJI Water train.† The FIJI Water train car will be on route throughout the week leading up to Art on Track, so keep an eye out for FIJI Water on the CTA Orange Line. If you just want in on the creative fun, join us on October 10, 2009 from 11AM-8PM at the Adams and Wabash CTA platform for a ride around the Loop aboard the FIJI Water art train.

Look for the FIJI Water tagline on the tracks!

To be eligible for the $150 Blick gift certificate, simply visit our Facebook Page and be the first to post the tagline that appears on the side of the train car. Please keep in mind that only those posts submitted after 12PM Central Time, October 6, when the FIJI Water train begins running, will be considered eligible. Please make sure that your Facebook settings allow you to receive messages from non-friends, as someone from FIJI will be contacting the recipient via Facebook. If we are unable to contact you in this way, another recipient will be chosen.

SALVO NFP is an organization dedicated to increasing cultural awareness and education through exposure to the fine arts. SALVO provides free alternative public spaces for arts organizations to showcase their talent to an expanded demographic, and to reach out to those who may otherwise be isolated from the cityís vibrant art culture.

Susana Tikoisuva recovers at Lautoka Hospital as her mother sits by her side.

Last Thursday, the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation wrapped up their week of work here Fiji — a week that saw more than 30 individuals receive free life-saving heart surgeries, including single, double, and triple bypasses and pacemaker installations. The FIJI Water Foundation was the major sponsor of the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation’s 2009 medical trip and had the opportunity to scrub into the wards and to meet with doctors, nurses, patients, and families.† We were deeply moved and humbled by the amazing work these medical professionals do, using their own vacation time and getting very little sleep during the week!† The youngest patient operated on during the tour was 16 years old, and the eldest was 83.

At Lautoka Hospital last Thursday, the recovering patients were all smiles as the Miss Sugar City (an annual local charity pageant) contestants had just come for a visit. Despite having undergone major surgery only days before, the patients were looking very well, some already walking around, laughing, chatting, and eating. One heart-bypass patient, Maya Telamarawa of Rabi Island, was so inspired by the visit that the doctors and nurses nominated her ìMiss Hospitalî and presented her with her own crown and ribbon.

Lautoka Hospital nurses pose in front of the event banner.

Such was the lighthearted mood in the recovery wards of Lautoka Hospital as these patients bounce back and embrace their renewed leases on life. The surgeries, normally available only overseas, might cost NZD$20,000† (about US$14,000) or more, but thanks to the generous assistance of volunteers and sponsors, all of these patients have received expert surgery and care at no cost. This is the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundationís fourth trip to Fiji. To date they have operated on more than 100 of Fijiís neediest patients.

The mother of 22-year-old patient Susana Tikoisuva of Lau said that the care they had received at the hospital was wonderful. She couldnít believe how quickly her daughter was recovering from the surgery on the hole in her heart. Lautokaís regular nurses and doctors were also delighted to work with the New Zealand doctors during their stay, saying their professionalism and good humor allowed them to fit in easily. Local surgeons-in-training were able to observe and scrub into surgeries they would otherwise witness only overseas.

As Foundation spokesman Deepak Singh of Auckland enthused, ìThis work could not have been done without the support of our sponsors, FIJI Water Foundation, Air Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Rotary [International]. FIJI Water Foundation is our major sponsor, and this is their second year of supporting the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation medical team.î

"Miss Hospital," Maya Telamarawa

Mr. Singh described the financial challenges faced by some of the patients. For some, they would like to have the surgery but cannot afford transport to Lautoka. One man could not afford bus fare to the hospital from Nadi to be with his daughter during her surgery. Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation was able to cover these costs so that patients and families could focus on preparation, recovery, and being together. ìWe realized how blessed we are and that it is our duty to help,î said Mr. Singh.

FIJI Water Foundation is proud to be the teamís major sponsor, and we are also inviting all of Fiji to help support the costs of these heart surgeries. Until the end of the year, for every 1.5L bottle of water purchased at participating stores, 5 cents will be given to the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation. For every six-pack purchased, customers receive a complimentary reusable shopping bag.

FIJI Water partners with Best Buddies for its East and West Coast Challenges.

Close to 1,500 people took part in the weekendís festivities at Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club for the annual Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle.†The events included the 100-mile cycling course from Carmel to San Simeon, on Saturday, September 12. The Challenge, hosted by Maria and Anthony Shriver, raised a record amount of more than $4 million†for Best Buddies International.

All those running, walking, or cycling†were able to take†in the amazing scenery along Pacific Coast Highway and †stayed hydrated throughout the day with FIJI Water. The 100-mile charity ride also featured alternate 62, 35 and 15 mile routes, a 5K run and a 3K walk. Many experienced VIP treatment with refreshing rest stops, massages and showers†as they†ran or walked†between Carmel†and San Simeon.†Afterwards,†all enjoyed a gourmet BBQ and private performance by Ciara at the Hearst Ranch.

The weekendís festivities also included a First Ladyís Celebrity/Sous Chef Challenge, featuring top California chefs such as Scott Giambastiani, Jeff Rogers, Ryan Scott and Cal Stamenov. Other celebrities present were actors David Caruso, Verne Troyer,†Lisa Rinna, Maureen McCormick, and Nancy O’Dell of Access Hollywood.

To conclude the two-day event, an invite-only, VIP post-party was held at Hearst Castle, where guests were invited to swim in the renowned Neptune Pool, normally†closed to the public.

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities to enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development. The Best Buddies Challenge enables participants to create teamwork and new friendships among their peers and those with intellectual disabilities.

Chicago philanthropists arrive for an evening out to benefit children battling pediatric cancer.

Philanthropy plays a big role in our lives here at FIJI Water, and the coming of September heralds the flagship event of one our favorite charities, Childrenís Oncology Services, Inc.†(COSI).† Set in the magnificent Harold Washington Library Winter Garden, Toque: An Evening With Chicagoís Culinary Masters, is fast becoming a Chicago tradition and is proof that philanthropy can be not only rewarding, but delicious as well.†

Toque, named after the traditional tall, pleated, white hat worn by chefs, has selected some of the finest Chicago restaurants to contribute artful dishes to its split five-course meal.† Local greats such as Art Smith of Table 52 and Tony Galzin of MK Restaurant dazzled the foodie contingent with masterful creations, all adding to a perfect meal for a truly worthy cause.† Additionally, Bill Kurtis, television journalist and founder of Tall Grass Beef, served as master of ceremonies and donated a fantastic dinner trip to his Mettawa estate to the live auction.

Ticket sales and donations for the evening all benefit the One Step Camp, a summer camp attended by children battling pediatric cancer.† Made possible by COSI, the One Step Camp is set on Wisconsinís Lake Geneva, and serves as a place where children with cancer can go to have fun and just be kids.† A team of world-class doctors is kept on staff at the camp to ensure health problems donít get in the way of boat rides, swim races, and campfires — something no child should live without.

FIJI Water is a proud partner of COSI, donating water and silent-auction items to each of its†three annual fundraisers.† To make a donation to Childrenís Oncology Services, please visit www.onestepcamp.org, and be sure to check in this January to COSIís annual Chicago poker tournament.

The three Fijian children who received heart surgeries return home.

A few weeks ago in August, Shivangani Chand said goodbye to her schoolmates at Rabulu Indian School in rural Tavua, Fiji — but not as any 10-year old child might on a typical Friday afternoon. The following day she traveled to Nadi with her mother, where she joined two other children, Josefo Qionibaravi of Nausori and Timoci Tagiciverata of Kadavu, on a life-changing journey.

These three children were all identified by the Fiji College of General Practitioners (FCGP) Childrenís Heart Foundation as having severe heart defects, correctable only by surgery overseas. Shivangani suffered from heart valve deterioration caused by rheumatic heart disease, but the needed surgery and airfare to India, at $18,000 FJD (more than $9,000 US, at the time of this posting), was far beyond her familyís modest means.

As a cane-cutting laborer supporting four children, her father, Saras Chand, struggles to make ends meet. Shivangani is the only daughter in the family and excels in school, despite having to take a few semesters away due to sickness. Since her valve dysfunction was first identified, her parents feared the worst and wondered how they would ever afford the needed surgery, which costs patients over $40,000 FJD ($20,000) in Australia or New Zealand.

FIJI Water Foundation’s support of the FCGP Childrenís Heart Foundation has given Shivangani a second chance at a normal life. The FIJI Water Foundation funds projects around Fiji in the three priority areas of health, education, and water infrastructure.

Shivangani poses for a photo after her return from Chennai, India, where she underwent heart surgery.

This past Wednesday morning, along with family, FIJI Water employees and Foundation representatives welcomed Shivangani back to Fiji after a successful open heart surgery at Frontier Lifeline Hospital in Chennai, India. Shivangani, Josefa, Timoci and their parents arrived back on their native soil to a local fanfare by FIJI Water and Vodafone. (Justin and Timociís surgeries and airfare were sponsored by Vodafone ATH Foundation.)

For Shivangani and her mother, it was their first trip on an airplane. Mrs. Chand, speaking in Hindi, said that she was very scared to fly but Shivangani was the brave one and she in turn had to be brave for her daughter. Mrs. Chand raved about the care and the facilities at Frontier Lifeline, and was happy to see how lively Shivangani has been since the surgery three weeks ago. Her daughter could not wait to get back to school and was busy doing homework on the plane ride home. Said Shivanganiís uncle Pramesh Prakash, ìWe are truly grateful to FIJI Water and its Foundation for assisting us.î

Family members anxiously await the return of Shivangani at the Nadi airport.

As FCGP Children’s Heart Foundation president Dr. Ponnu Goundar has said, these children presented difficult cases and India was the best option. In addition, the FIJI Water Foundation is a major sponsor of the Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation, who arrived in the country today. Their team of volunteer surgeons and medical personnel will perform free corrective heart surgeries for Fijiís needy residents from September 10th-18th at Lautoka Hospital. This visit makes additional training and resources available to our local doctors and nurses during their duration of their stay.

Meals-on-Wheels programs provide a continuous lifeline of nutritious food, human company, and love to homebound elderly in need, thereby helping them to live with dignity in their own familiar homes and communities through private funds.

Thanks to their partnership with the New York City Department for the Aging, along with gifts designated for administrative expenses, Citymeals-On-Wheels can promise that 100% of all other donations will be used entirely for the preparation and delivery of meals.

In 2008, contributors helped bring more than 2.2 million nutritious meals to 18,065 frail aged in every borough of New York City. In addition, more than 1,500 volunteers collectively spent 62,000 hours visiting and delivering meals to New Yorkís frail aged.

FIJI Water is also working with Meals-On Wheels in Greater San Diego, San Francisco, Alameda County, and St. Vincents Meals on Wheels to help West Coast elderly in need to also receive warm meals and loving human contact. For a list of these participating retailers and restaurants, click here.

Now, you†can help, too, when purchasing FIJI Water in California and the NYC metro area or via home delivery at www.shopwww.fijiwater.com.

Let’s drink to that!

Successful grantees and foundation staff celebrate by blowing out the candles on the FIJI Water Foundation birthday cake.

FIJI Water Foundation celebrated its second birthday yesterday — two years of assisting in development projects in water, health, and education throughout Fiji. Supporters, friends, partners, and grantees joined to help us celebrate by officially launching our Foundation website and announcing the Foundationís most recent group of successful grant applicants, one of who traveled all the way from remote Kioa Island in the north of the county to speak about how the FIJI Water grant will finally make it possible for the island and its villages to have direct access to clean water.†We also heard from the Director of Project HEAVEN, a remarkable organization that screens kids in remote parts of Fiji for ear and eye disease, and then makes sure they get treatment if any problems are discovered.

FIJI Water already has a robust online presence on the www.fijiwater.com and FIJIGreen.com sites, which provide information about the brand and mission to customers around the world. Until now, however, online customers, grantees, and partners have had limited access to information about the foundation and our development work in Fiji. Thus, we are thrilled to share our new website with you and with the world. This new site features foundation history, project descriptions, grant application resources, Twitter and news feeds, and an interactive project map. It also links to the partners who have helped make our work here possible. We look forward to growing this list as more companies consider joining our efforts. Internet is still not widely available throughout all of Fiji, but itís moving fast: The Kioa Island grant recipient accessed the application materials and applied via email all the way from Fijiís rural Northern Division. We look forward to the increased visibility and accessibility this site will give to our projects and partners.

In addition to observing our birthday and launching the new website, the ceremony honored the work of the inspiring organizations and communities we work with everyday. Fourteen new projects were launched, including four library projects, three kindergarten projects, two new water and sanitation projects, support for an NGO that provides ear and eye screening for children, support of a volunteer heart surgery team, as well as the foundationís first electrification project, which will help to illuminate an entire district, including three schools, a health center, and a nursing station.

FIJI Water Foundation has donated more than $240,000 FJD to these 14 development projects. Since its establishment in 2007, the foundation has funded over $1,400,000 in projects directly impacting more than 70,000 people in 13 of Fijiís 14 provinces. The same passion and world-class approach we have brought to bottling water, we bring to our developmental efforts.

We look forward to working with these communities and organizations as they implement their projects, some of which are already underway. We are always looking for new partners who share our development goals and welcome applicants for projects to be funded in early 2010.

Read more about our second-anniversary celebration:

FIJI Sun: FIJI Water Foundation Comes of Age

FIJIVillage.com: FIJI Water Gives $240,000