Our Story

Where There’s A Well, There’s A Way

In 2002, industrialist and philanthropist Jin Zidell created the Blue Planet Run Foundation. Its ambitious, yet realistic mission: to provide safe drinking water to 200 million people for the rest of their lives by 2027—cooperatively, efficiently and openly.

Today, the foundation is made up of seasoned non-profit, business, event and marketing specialists. It is backed by an internationally recognized Board of Directors and Advisors.

The Foundation has invested to develop the Peer Water Exchange (PWX), a revolutionary, grassroots, online community where donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and observers work together to democratically manage and monitor rural water projects worldwide. Each NGO, such as CARE and Water for People, is responsible for reviewing, rating and overseeing their peers' applications and projects. With user-friendly technology replacing bureaucracy, learning and expertise are shared and collective success supported. Locals take ownership in building, maintaining and running their facilities and adapting the principles of safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation.

Blue Planet Run Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising global awareness about the lack of safe drinking water, and funding working solutions today for the billion people living without ready access to this life sustaining resource.

Since 2004, the U.S.-based foundation has funded 18 non-governmental organizations worldwide which have in turn implemented 142 sustainable water projects in 14 countries impacting 137 thousand lives. The Foundation's signature awareness and fundraising event, the Blue Planet Run 2007, was the first-ever around-the-world relay run.