The nonprofit, dedicated to giving every person in Latin America access to clean water, was happy to report that $284,649 was raised in support of clean water and sanitation projects.

Greeted during the cocktail hour, guests were then invited to sit down for dinner in a beautifully blue-lit event space decorated with giant silver spheres reminiscent of water droplets. Floating gold candles served as centerpieces for each table. The evening’s presentation was hosted by Danny Rodriguez, CEO, and Co-Founder of BLUE Missions, who explained that out of the 44 projects they have planned for the upcoming summer, 42 have already been completely funded, and that two of them were still in need of full funding.

To help reach the additional final goal of $92,496, guests were invited to make a virtual donation, cleverly labeled as a drop, by April 22^nd by scanning a QR code on their wristband and clicking “Give Your Drop”. Rodriguez explained that each Drop would connect an entire family with clean water and sanitation. “A single drop is just a drop, but when we combine all of our drops, we can create a flood of change,” said Rodriguez.

Since BLUE Missions began as a yearly service project in 2010, it has impacted over 40,000 people through clean water and sanitation.  BLUE has been committed to protecting it from the threats facing water sources all over the world such as climate change, habitat loss, population growth, pollution, misuse, and saltwater intrusion. Today’s issues threaten the running water of tomorrow with major cities in the world like Johannesburg and Mexico City already experiencing water insecurity.

Rodriguez went into detail regarding the two projects in need of funds, and he proudly provided highlights of their current successes. These included the REACH Program, which has been raising awareness about the importance of protecting the water and helping youth harness the power that they have to change the world. Two hundred scholarships were awarded through their local service camp, thereby giving kids from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn about sustainability. And thanks to their partners at Voices for Children, Rodriguez explained that 19 youth in foster care were able to travel on a service trip to the Dominican Republic and begin their journey of finding their drop.

This year, BLUE Missions is planning to complete 16 gravity-driven aqueducts that will benefit over 3,500 people.  It will also provide 24 improved sanitation systems creating bathrooms for over 330 families who don’t have a bathroom or have one at risk of collapse.  Lastly, it intends to put into motion its Filter Build program, which provides the supplies and training necessary for families to install point-of-use filters in their homes. Rodriguez explained that in certain communities, point-of-use filtration is the only option and that over 60 families will receive their own filter allowing them to turn dirty water into potable drinking water.

No sooner had guests enjoyed their dinner and presentation, when the music kicked in at 10 PM, at which point it was standing room only as guests danced the night away to a DJ accompanied by live percussion.

About Blue Missions

BLUE Missions empowers the youth to advocate for a world where there is water for all, forever. Through service projects and sustainability education, BLUE connects families in Latin America to clean, fresh water and inspires young people to lead the way to a water- secure future.