Scott Harrison (charity founder)


Scott Harrison is the founder and current CEO of the non-profit. Harrison is the author of Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World.

Early life and career

Scott Harrison was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and grew up in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Harrison began working as a nightclub and party promoter in Manhattan. He spent the next 10 years organizing parties for the likes of MTV, VH1, Bacardi and Elle. In August 2004, after a shooting at a nightclub he promoted in Uruguay, Harrison quit his job and volunteered as a photojournalist for the Christian charity Mercy Ships, which operates a fleet of hospital ships offering free healthcare, being inspired by his father’s gift of A.W. Tozer’s book, “The Pursuit of God”.

charity: water

During his two years with Mercy Ships, Harrison was exposed to the conditions of the impoverished in Liberia. As a response, Harrison founded in 2006. The charity is a non profit organization that works to bring clean water to people in developing nations through its use of public donations, which directly fund water projects such as building wells and sanitation facilities. While charity:water has claimed to spend 100% of its funding on programming costs, in 2017 alone Harrison received $325,278 from the organization.

Guest appearances

Harrison was interviewed by Reid Hoffman on the Masters of Scale podcast, where he told the story of and how he used the art of storytelling to build the brand.

Personal life

Harrison is married to Viktoria Harrison, who leads design and branding for charity:water. They have two children: a son named Jackson and a daughter named Emma. Harrison is a Christian.

Publications

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