Alternative Christmas Gifts-Heifer International

[Silvercreek Farmer]

http://www.heifer.org/

If you haven't heard about Heifer International, let me plug them for a minute. Heifer gives farm animals to poor people to help them out of poverty. The coolest thing about it is that they teach the recipients sustainable farming practices so they don't ruin the land, and the recipients of animals agree to pass on their education and the first female offspring, which happens again and again resulting in an exponential effect. My wife and I have been volunteering with them for about 3 months now and find them to be our favorite charity due to their "teach a man to fish" philosophy. So for the person that has everything, maybe a the gift of a goat, water buffalo, or a beehive would be just the thing!
And just note, if you would like to make a donation, you may want to make it through the United Methodist Church as they will cover the overhead, making your donation go even futher! Merry Christmas!

[MorrisonCorner]

I'll second the plug! Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (DH employer) makes Heifer International Blend as part of their fund raising activities (good coffee by the way) and supports employees who support Heifer.. so our contribution gets doubled up to a certain amount.

I LOVE Heifer. It lets me give a flock of sheep to non-farming friend's kids and gives us a chance to teach something about other cultures, peoples, geography, etc. I keep a stack of Heifer calendars around during the holidays and let kids pick what they want to send.. chicks? sheep? pig? Most, by the way, are a little freaked out at the idea of the Guinea pigs... those are not food!

[Silvercreek Farmer]

My parents were very pleased with their sheep!

[65284]

My experience with them wasn't so pleasant. They came to our church soliciting. I offered to donate 2 registered heifers, bred or open, and delivered anywhere within 500 miles. The answer? A very brusque, "not interested, just sell them and send us the money, we only want cash". Yahh, mmmm, well okay. They will be a helluva long time getting anything out of me, as in never a dime!!

[Reauxman]

Do you know the expense of transporting two 1,000 pound animals across the world? 500 miles wouldn't go far.

I think it would have been better on your part to do as they requested.

Now with that said, I have o knowledge of how they do things, and my ASSumption is that they purchase stock in the area the people gifted with them live.

[Sparticle]

they also have nice little gift cards you can print to go along with your donation.

[diane]

I have seen their work first hand in the villages of Haiti. A pair of good breeding stock can make a difference in the entire village.

[beaglady]

The Mennonite Central Commmittee also does this. My mom donated a goat each for hubby and I this year.

[Sparticle]

There are 6 of us at work that typically exchange gifts at special occasions. We decided this year most of us would donate to charity any funds that we would normally spend on each other for Christmas. Some picked Heifer (like me) and some picked P.A.L., a local pet shelter down the street. Other people in the office heard about the charity gift exchange and have talked about doing that next year.

Before picking which to donate to, we kind of lobbied for our favoites (just a little). Each person donated what they could afford. None of us know how much was donated. One girl cheated though and also gave me a rock that she knew I would love - I didn't hold it against her

[straight shot]

I really enjoyed donnating to the heifer. org.

BUT we all have decided to make a contribution to the ELCAWorld Hunger Appeal . Most of the donations are for RIGHT here in the USA for the vets , animals, and schooling. Anyone can apply for animals. And they help with hungry familys food, funds, ferilizer and a bighter future. so you can help them out with a donation of time, for learning and a gift of life.


No glossy paper to print fine animals, from me to you, the ELCA is the same concept with less overhead.

If the poster that wished to donate please let me know and I will give you a good place were your can donate what you would like,
I am going to give the websit to this organization, its www.elca.org/goodgifts

[MorrisonCorner]

Heifer also works within the USA.. we've got farms to the north of us that got their start on Heifer International stock. And they do a great deal with small communities in the west, I think.

I love the idea of a "charity gift exchange." What a great way to do something nice and eliminate the "what was she thinking?!?" holiday gift!

[Katie L]

I am really excited to see that so many of you are familiar with Heifer International already.

65284, I am dissapointed to hear that the Heifer volunteers that you encountered were brusque. Your offer was a very generous one. They should have explained themselves better.

Reauxman is correct. Heifer began in the 1940s and 1950s by shipping American milk cows to needy areas but this is no longer the practice. For efficiency reasons, the appropriate animals for each community are obtained locally.

Heifer abides by principals that it calls Cornerstones. These include Accountability, Sustainability, Gender Equality, and Justice just to name a few. The cornerstones of Heifers approach to ending hunger are described in more detail here: http://www.heifer.org/site/pp.asp?c=...NiFiG&b=201546

I hope this was helpful. Happy New Year :1pig:

[foxtrapper]

"Heifer began in the 1940s and 1950s by shipping American milk cows to needy areas but this is no longer the practice. For efficiency reasons, the appropriate animals for each community are obtained locally."

Not exactly. They are up the road from me, and still take animals.