Comments on: Heifer International

Heifer International

Irontom — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 10:39:55 -0800

A Living Loan
In 1936, a Midwestern farmer named Dan West travelled to Spain to serve as a relief worker in the chaos of the Spanish Civil War. Ladling out rations of milk to hungry children, he realized that he was being forced to decide who would receive the limited rations and who wouldn't – literally, who would live and who would die. This kind of aid, he knew, would never be enough. He returned to the United States in 1938 and began working to build a better kind of aid.

By: Irontom

Irontom — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 10:40:58 -0800

This better aid is livestock, and the training to manage it for ongoing and future returns. Today, Heifer International works with communities to identify their resources and needs, planning the specific activities that will allow them to accomplish their goals. Every family and community that receives assistance promises to repay this "living loan" by donating one or more of their animal's offspring to another family in need. This practice of passing on the gift ensures long term project sustainability, and is meant to develop community and enhance self-esteem by allowing project partners to become donors themselves. "This is Heifer's sustainable approach to ending hunger and poverty - one family, one animal at a time. It's not temporary relief. It's not a handout. It's securing a future with generations of people who have hope, health and dignity." Full Disclosure: I'm not affiliated with these guys in any way. I came across them a while back, and it seems to me that they are doing good work in a world that's been very depressing to me recently.

By: substrate

substrate — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 11:11:35 -0800

Thanks a lot Irontom.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 12:21:09 -0800

Wow, that's great, more charities should work like this.

By: Fenriss

Fenriss — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 12:33:03 -0800

I love this outfit. My husband and I sent "Mothers day baskets" from them in our Mom's names this year. As a result, mothers in need received bees, seedlings and chicks. And we got some serious brownie points with our Moms.

By: stonerose

stonerose — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 12:45:11 -0800

Huh. No SUV's.

By: thomcatspike

thomcatspike — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 13:44:18 -0800

received bees Fenriss, a full bee hive or a queen bee to start one?

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 14:35:11 -0800

I've been sending Heifer animals as Christmas gifts for years. Familys with kids really get into it. Virtual animals. Heifer is one of the better run and well known and has a great reputation.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 14:46:25 -0800

I'm totally sending someone some bees in the mail. And I can tell them it's for their benefit too.