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*Ethos Water, the brand dedicated to helping children get clean water, is driving support for its mission by collaborating with H20 Africa, a foundation focused on clean water initiatives. *

Later this month, H20 Africa’s co-founder, Matt Damon, will appear in a national Ethos Water print advertising campaign encouraging consumers to get involved in raising awareness and funding for the world water crisis.

The campaign coincides with the expanded distribution of Ethos water into more than 40,000 convenience, grocery, mass and drug stores across the US through the Pepsi-Cola bottling system.

Joint venture Since Starbucks acquired Ethos Water in 2005, the product has become available in more than 7,000 company-operated stores in the US and Canada. Ethos water is packaged, distributed and marketed by Pepsi-Cola through the North American Coffee Partnership (NACP), a joint venture between Starbucks and Pepsi-Cola North America.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with H20 Africa, which shares our commitment to the same mission,” said Ahad Afridi, VP of waters at Pepsi-Cola North America. “This is a unique partnership where the Ethos Water brand, H20 Africa and Matt Damon join forces with the public to encourage millions of people to make a difference against the world water crisis.”

For each bottle of Ethos water sold, US$0.05 and C$0.10 is directed to the Ethos Water Fund, which is part of the Starbucks Foundation. To date, the Ethos Water Fund has generated a total of more than US$6.2 million in grant commitments benefiting an estimated 439,000 people in water-stressed countries.

Ethos Water aims to contribute US$10 million by 2010 to non-governmental organisations implementing water, sanitation and hygiene education programmes.