Editing Matt Damon (section)

== Activism ==
[[File:Matt Damon in Haiti 2009.jpg|thumb|Damon with the [[United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti]] in 2008]]

Damon, alongside [[George Clooney]], [[Brad Pitt]], [[Don Cheadle]], [[David Pressman]], and [[Jerry Weintraub]], is one of the founders of [[Not On Our Watch Project]], an organization that focuses global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities such as in [[Darfur conflict|Darfur]].<ref name="NOT">{{cite web|publisher=NotOurWatchProject.org|title=Not On Our Watch Project|url=http://notonourwatchproject.org/who_we_are|access-date=April 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917221559/http://notonourwatchproject.org/who_we_are|archive-date=September 17, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Damon supports One Campaign, which is aimed at fighting AIDS and poverty in [[Third World]] countries. He has appeared in their print and television advertising. He is an ambassador for ONEXONE, a nonprofit foundation committed to supporting, preserving, and improving the lives of children at home in Canada, the United States, and around the world.<ref name="OneXOne">{{cite news|author=[[The Canadian Press]]|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/t-o-benefit-gala-hosted-by-matt-damon-raises-1m-1.256415|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902030421/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVNews/20070914/damon_charity_070914/20070914/?hub=SpecialEvent2&subhub=PrintStory|url-status=live|archive-date=September 2, 2008|title=T.O. benefit gala hosted by Matt Damon raises $1M|access-date=April 5, 2009|date=September 17, 2007|publisher=CTV}}</ref>

Damon is a spokesperson for [[Feeding America]], a hunger-relief organization, and a member of their Entertainment Council, participating in their [[Ad Council]] [[public service announcement]]s.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.minnpost.com/community-sketchbook/2010/12/matt-damon-portraying-minnetonka-man-puts-real-face-hunger| title=Matt Damon, portraying a Minnetonka man, puts a real face on hunger| newspaper=MinnPost| date=December 10, 2010| author=Cynthia Boyd| access-date=October 4, 2014| archive-date=October 6, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073942/http://www.minnpost.com/community-sketchbook/2010/12/matt-damon-portraying-minnetonka-man-puts-real-face-hunger| url-status=live}}</ref> He is a board member of Tonic Mailstopper (formerly GreenDimes), a company that attempts to halt junk mail delivered to American homes each day.<ref name="Oprah">{{cite web|publisher=Oprah.com|title=It's Easy Being Green|url=http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/oprahshow1_ss_20070420/6|access-date=April 5, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425192531/http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/oprahshow1_ss_20070420/6|archive-date=April 25, 2009}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Appearing on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' on April 20, 2007, Damon promoted the organization's efforts to prevent the trees used for junk mail letters and envelopes from being chopped down. Damon stated: "For an estimated dime a day they can stop 70% of the junk mail that comes to your house. It's very simple, easy to do, great gift to give, I've actually signed up my entire family. It was a gift given to me this past holiday season and I was so impressed that I'm now on the board of the company."<ref name="MDGreenDimes">{{cite news|author=Aceshowbiz|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2007-04/23/content_857704.htm|title=Matt Damon goes green with GreenDimes.com|access-date=April 5, 2009|date=April 23, 2007|newspaper=[[China Daily]]|archive-date=February 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214101355/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2007-04/23/content_857704.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=October 2021}}|group="nb"}} Damon was the founder of the [[H2O Africa Foundation]], the charitable arm of the [[Running the Sahara]] expedition,<ref name="H20">{{cite news|last=DeCwikiel-Kane |first=Dawn |work=[[News & Record (Greensboro)|Greensboro News & Record]]|title=Charlie Engle's office: the great outdoors |url=http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/08/31/article/carlie_engles_office_the_great_outdoors |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080930050555/http://www.news-record.com/content/2008/08/31/article/carlie_engles_office_the_great_outdoors |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2008 |date=August 31, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2009 }}</ref> which merged with [[WaterPartners]] to create [[Water.org]] in July 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://water.org/2009/07/new-waterorg/ |title=Water.org Working Toward Global Access to Safe Water |publisher=Water.org |date=July 14, 2009 |access-date=July 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719083450/http://water.org/2009/07/new-waterorg/ |archive-date=July 19, 2009 }}</ref> Water.org has partnered with corporate sponsors to promote awareness and raise funds to support its mission of bringing safe, clean, cost-effective drinking water and sanitation to developing countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://water.org/partners/ |title=Partners |publisher=Water.org |access-date=February 6, 2022 |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111125626/https://water.org/partners/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In this context, Damon has been the face of advertising campaigns to promote Water.org in conjunction with products from major sponsors.

In October 2011, Water.org received an $8 million grant from the [[PepsiCo]] Foundation to scale up WaterCredit, which provides microloans to families throughout India.<ref>{{cite web|title=PepsiCo Foundation expands commitment to Water.org with $8 million contribution to scale "WaterCredit" across India|url=https://water.org/about-us/news-press/pepsico-foundation-8-million-grant/|publisher=Water.org|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111125626/https://water.org/about-us/news-press/pepsico-foundation-8-million-grant/|url-status=live}}</ref> Damon has been part of promoting those efforts, tying in with the [[Aquafina]] and [[Ethos Water]] brands of bottled water owned by PepsiCo and [[Starbucks]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Natalie|last=Zmuda|title=Pepsi partners with Starbucks water brand. Also teams with Matt Damon's group to push charitable message behind Ethos|url=https://adage.com/article/news/pepsi-partners-starbucks-water-brand/125593|work=AdAge|date=October 18, 2013|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111131139/https://adage.com/article/news/pepsi-partners-starbucks-water-brand/125593|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Why Matt Damon and Gary White of Water.org are friends of PepsiCo|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOgYbz1hzHU|access-date=January 11, 2022|website=YouTube|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111125625/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOgYbz1hzHU|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2015, Damon has promoted [[ABInBev|Anheuser-Busch InBev]]'s [[Stella Artois]] beer brand as a Water.org partner, including the sale of limited-edition "blue chalice" glasses imprinted with an embellished blue version of the brand's logo.<ref>{{cite news| first=Alissa| last=Fitzgerald| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alissafitzgerald/2021/11/05/matt-damon-x-stella-artois-join-forces-to-give-back/?sh=5e3b229669ae| archive-date=January 11, 2022| access-date=January 11, 2022| title=Matt Damon X Stella Artois join forces to give back| website=Forbes| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111235523/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alissafitzgerald/2021/11/05/matt-damon-x-stella-artois-join-forces-to-give-back/?sh=5e3b229669ae| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Stella Artois partnership with Water.org|url=https://water.org/partners/stellaartois/|access-date=January 11, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111141515/https://water.org/partners/stellaartois/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In a television advertisement made for broadcast during the 2018 [[Super Bowl]] of the United States' [[National Football League]] (NFL), he promoted Water.org and Stella Artois's role in supporting its work.<ref>{{cite web| title=Stella Artois Limited Edition Chalice at Water.org (Matt Damon)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1W2mxYIeuo|access-date=January 11, 2022|website=YouTube|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111235524/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1W2mxYIeuo&gl=US&hl=en| url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 2021, he announced a new partnership with the cryptocurrency trading platform [[Crypto.com]], under which Crypto.com was to make a $1 million donation to Water.org. In the announcement, Damon said, "Crypto.com gave us this great donation, which is amazing. The money that I make for the commercials to promote them, I give 100% of that to Water.org as well. So, it's millions of dollars coming in to us."<ref>{{cite news|first=Jeff|last=Conway |title=Matt Damon announces Water.org partnership with Crypto.com |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffconway/2021/10/25/matt-damon-announces-waterorg-partnership-with-cryptocom/?sh=3fcf133e57b3 |website=Forbes|access-date=January 11, 2022|date=October 25, 2021|archive-date=January 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113090651/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffconway/2021/10/25/matt-damon-announces-waterorg-partnership-with-cryptocom/?sh=3fcf133e57b3|url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bhasin|first=Kim|date=October 28, 2021|title=Matt Damon is the Face of Crypto.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-28/matt-damon-to-promote-crypto-com-in-race-to-attract-new-users|url-status=live|website=Bloomberg|access-date=January 19, 2022|archive-date=January 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105003528/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-28/matt-damon-to-promote-crypto-com-in-race-to-attract-new-users}}</ref> Damon's Crypto.com commercial<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBC5TVdYT8 |website=YouTube |title=Fortune Favours the Brave – Crypto.com |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110154807/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBC5TVdYT8 |url-status=live }}</ref> started rolling out in cinemas late in 2021, and then on television in January 2022, mainly during sports programming such as NFL games. Once it was broadcast widely on television, it sparked much criticism, as did its accompanying "making of" featurette.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI2Jl8_eBOg |website=YouTube |title=The making of Fortune Favours the Brave – Crypto.com |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-date=January 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113090651/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI2Jl8_eBOg |url-status=live }}</ref> In ''[[The Independent]]'', Nathan Place wrote, "Twitter is cringing after a TV commercial starring Matt Damon compared trading cryptocurrency to mankind's greatest achievements. In the ad, which aired during Sunday night’s NFL games, Mr Damon makes an abstract plug for crypto.com – a platform for exchanging digital currencies like Bitcoin – while striding past images of explorers and astronauts.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nathan |last=Place |title=Matt Damon mocked for new cryptocurrency ad |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/matt-damon-cryptocurrency-ad-twitter-b1986014.html |website=The Independent|date=January 3, 2022|archive-date=January 9, 2022 |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109081805/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/matt-damon-cryptocurrency-ad-twitter-b1986014.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[The New Zealand Herald]]'' published an article by Lexie Cartwright summing up viewer reaction: "Matt Damon's new commercial plugging cryptocurrency has been absolutely savaged on social media, with viewers dubbing it 'insulting' and 'disgusting'." The story included a series of tweets, among them one by [[Carole Cadwalladr]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' in which she wrote, "There isn't enough yuck in the world to describe Matt Damon advertising a Ponzi scheme and comparing it to the moon landings."<ref>{{cite news|first=Lexie|last=Cartwright|title="Insulting": Matt Damon's new crypto move slammed|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/insulting-matt-damons-new-crypto-move-slammed/WLW752TDKWSL5V3UVMVTYB52UQ/|website=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|access-date=January 13, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114095503/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/insulting-matt-damons-new-crypto-move-slammed/WLW752TDKWSL5V3UVMVTYB52UQ/|url-status=live}}</ref> Jody Rosen in the [[New York Times|''New York Times'']] said that "There is something unseemly, to put it mildly, about the famous and fabulously wealthy urging crypto on their fans", and "The bleakness of that pitch is startling."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rosen |first=Jody |date=February 2, 2022 |title=Why Is Matt Damon Shilling For Crypto? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/magazine/matt-damon-crypto.html |magazine=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 13, 2022 |archive-date=February 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212090329/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/magazine/matt-damon-crypto.html |url-status=live }}</ref>