Chlorophyll Water, Plant-Powered Philanthropy
“Besides being beneficial to the human body, Chlorophyll Water strives to be beneficial to humankind.”
by Clara Jennison
In 2019 Matt Levine founded Chlorophyll Water in Brooklyn, New York. The company developed a triple filtered and UV treated purified water beverage fortified with vitamins A, B12, C, D and enhanced naturally by Chlorophyll, the vital green pigment in plant life.
Chlorophyll is the green compound found in plants that absorbs sunlight and converts it to energy through photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll, otherwise known as ‘nature’s green magic’ is not just beneficial for plants. For humans, it’s a good source of nutrients as it’s jam-packed with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins A, B12, C, and D.
A favorite amongst celebrities Kourtney Kardashian, Lily Aldridge, and Rosario Dawson, Chlorophyll Water is sold in organic stores such as Erewhon Markets in Los Angeles and Whole Foods Markets in New York. Chlorophyll Water has also become the go-to hydration in the wellness world, sold at Alo Yoga and Inscape Meditation in New York City, Anatomy in Miami and Dogpound in Los Angeles.
Since its launch last year, Chlorophyll Water has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Shape, Women’s Health, and even graced Vogue’s pages as a fashionable prop with supermodel Kaia Gerber.
Still, it’s Chlorophyll Water’s big heart that impresses us most. The mission-driven start-up has made quite an impact in the world of philanthropy through its charitable donations and community initiatives.
Prior to founding Chlorophyll Water, Levine was a New York City restaurateur. He championed organic, locally sourced sustainable farming with healthy, superfood-packed seasonal plant-based menu items at his New York City restaurants. But besides a passion for healthy food, Levine has always emphasized giving back. From creating daily Charity Hours at his restaurants-donating and highlighting local charities to donating leftover food to organizations such as Rescue Leftover Cuisine, Levine has now turned his passion for providing plant-based meals to his new plant-powered company, Chlorophyll Water.
Pre COVID-19, Chlorophyll Water was extremely active in donating monthly cases to shelters in their home state of New York. Simultaneously, their #PlantKindness initiative rewarded Chlorophyll Water cases to those paying it forward with acts of kindness and generosity or, as Levine says with a smile, “planting kindness.”
When the pandemic hit, the Chlorophyll Water team stepped up. Chlorophyll Water immediately started donating their nutrient-dense and vitamin-packed purified water to homeless shelters and senior citizen centers in Brooklyn and neighboring New York City, along with providing their purified water to healthcare workers on the frontlines protecting us all and giving lifesaving support throughout the pandemic.
Levine explained to us Chlorophyll Water’s priorities. “Our first priority is always the health and well-being of our community, and the second is how we can provide nutrients and vitamins to those in need and less fortunate.”
The Chlorophyll Water team of volunteers partnered with 12 major hospitals from the New York-Presbyterian network, New York City Health + Hospitals network, NYU Langone and North Well Group. At the same time, Chlorophyll Water donated hundreds of Chlorophyll Water cases to the Healthcare Workers at APICHA Community Health Center and Lenox Hill Hospital.
Cole Riley, President of Founders Give, shares with us:
“In March at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we called on food and beverage brands from across the country to help nourish and support our frontline healthcare workers in NYC. From day one, Chlorophyll Water answered that call. Over the next ten weeks, they served as an incredible partner — donating countless water bottles to doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, and patients at some of our city’s hardest-hit hospitals. It was mission-driven brands like Chlorophyll Water that helped power what became the #1 relief effort in the city over the spring.”
After providing Chlorophyll Water to the pandemic’s frontlines, Matt Levine and the Chlorophyll Water team started providing Chlorophyll Water to homeless shelters and senior centers across New York City. These included the Bowery Mission that serves New York City’s homeless. Along with Hillside Food Outreach, that has provided healthy home food delivery to quarantined, isolated Senior Citizens; and NYC’s largest soup kitchen, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
In Los Angeles, while stay-at-home orders were implemented across the country, Matt Levine and his team collaborated with one of their retail partners, Erewhon Market. Together they provided complimentary bottles of Chlorophyll Water to the immune-compromised and senior citizens in Los Angeles county.
Erewhon Market tells us:
“When Chlorophyll reached out to offer to donate their nutritious water to our customers, we were so touched. We are excited to be able to share this at such a hectic time for so many people. Anytime we can partner to give a little love to our customers and communities, we are thrilled to do it.”
To help hydrate Los Angeles’ homeless population during summer months, the Chlorophyll Water team of volunteers stepped up once again. Since June, Chlorophyll Water has donated over 3300 bottles to help the homeless population on Skid Row via their partnership with Union Rescue Mission.
Andy Bales, President and CEO of Union Rescue Mission, gave us a statement:
“Matt Levine and our friends at Chlorophyll Water are true lifesavers, sending thousands of bottles of tasty vitamin-enriched water to Union Rescue Mission just as our friends on the streets of Skid Row were suffering the most. We can’t thank Matt Levine and his team enough for their selfless generosity”.
On their website ChlorophyllWater.com website they built a Donation Platform, knowing they couldn’t do it alone. The company teams with consumers to donate Chlorophyll Water cases to City Harvest, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and City Meals Those looking to donate a case of Chlorophyll Water pay the shipping fee. The case is donated for free!
Levine tells us that when founding Chlorophyll Water, one of his missions was to hydrate the bodies of those who don’t have access to life’s most necessary ingredient, water. Levine also emphasized that in a calamity like COVID-19, people may lose that access. However, as a brand, even just a start-up, they had a role to play and no time to waste.
While the pandemic accelerated Chlorophyll Water’s charitable efforts, it’s been in their brand ethos and mission since they launched.
From distributing Chlorophyll Water to Trinity Services and Food for the Homeless before COVID-19 to providing ACE New York Programs for the Homeless and other causes with cases of their bottled water across New York, Levine explains, “Chlorophyll Water has been committed and will continue to be there to support those in need of hydration.”
Alex Lawrence, director at Trinity’s Services and Food for The Homeless, tells us:
“We received a donation of Chlorophyll Water during the summer that came along at just the right time. It was a way for us to provide hydration to our community in the height of the heat, without resorting to juices. Matt Levine and everyone at the Chlorophyll Water team was so amazing in facilitating the support of our organization. We are so grateful for their support!”
Travis Tinney, ACE Programs for Homeless Development Director, echoed Levine and Chlorophyll Water’s big heart by telling us:
“Chlorophyll Water generously provided hundreds of bottles of their signature product to ACE’s Thanksgiving Luncheon. Our Thanksgiving luncheon is a hard-earned celebration for men and women who have overcome extreme barriers like homelessness or incarceration and secured full-time employment. Chlorophyll Water was a unique menu item that gave the whole event a fun buzz. Some of the ACE graduates who attended still bring up how much they liked it. It’s great that Chlorophyll Water could help our graduates build positive memories during the holiday season, which can too often be a difficult season for our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness.”
Levine passionately explains to us, “in times of adversity our collective consciousness is being shifted to focus on the simplicity of generosity, health, love, unity, and human connection.”
Chlorophyll Water has only been on the market for less than a year and in that short time, the founder and his team have made great strides in hydrating those most vulnerable, especially during COVID-19. Recognized by the Green Business Bureau as “Good for the Mind, the Body and Planet” they are a health-conscious, environmentally friendly company that provides bottles upon bottles of water to communities across the nation.
From supporting local efforts during the pandemic to more widespread donations, Chlorophyll Water consumers can take comfort in supporting a business that takes the initiative in helping those in need, plant-powered hydration backed with inspiring plant-powered philanthropy.
For more information on Chlorophyll Water, you can visit them at www.ChlorophyllWater.com or follow them on social media at @ChlorophyllWater.
by Clara Jennison
