Rachel Beckwith's Ninth Birthday Wish Inspires Campaign for Youth

Rachel Beckwith, the 9-year-old Issaquah girl whose birthday wish to raise money to bring drinking water to communities in need, has inspired a new website that asks kids to pledge to raise money for the same cause for their ninth birthdays, according to MSNBC.

"I hope we might be able to define ninth birthday as a time when kids can donate, think of charity," David Hissami of San Clemente, Calif., told MSNBC.  Hissami founded 9thBirthday.org after being inspired by her story.

For Rachel's ninth birthday in June, she asked people to donate to charity: water, a nonprofit committed to bringing drinking water to developing communities, instead of asking for birthday gifts, hoping to raise $300 by her birthdate.

After Rachel died in July from , donations in her memory started pouring in, and her campaign eventually raised

Charity: Water and Rachel's mother, Samantha Paul, have started a new campaign, which has raised more than $15,000 so far.

According to MSNBC, Hissami, who has never met Rachel or her family said he hoped that her story would inspire other kids to give up their birthday gifts and raise money for charity: water.

Hissami is not affiliated with charity: water, but the 9th Birthday website links to the charity: water campaign page, where parents can help kids start their own campaigns. So far, 10 kids have taken the pledge.

Read MSNBC's story here.