Heifer International Foundation

This non profit has been a part of my life now for almost 30 years. I believe my Susanna Circle was my first encounter with Heifer International Foundation. Each year we chose a group or cause to sponsor with our Service Monies. It was new and we thought worthy in 1990. Then as I moved this "Non Profit and Cause" moved with me, it became a part of the Mission Monies to share with every United Methodist Women's Circle I have been a part of. I have given individual gifts as well. Plus this year it was my "Birthday Party" choice and raised over $200 through Facebook. Tomorrow is "5th Sunday" and "Noisy Offering" for the kids...extra change and folding monies to fill their buckets. They have already announced they will be "buying Animals" for Heifer International and sharing with my Favorite Nonprofit....for 2018.

I am both a technical professional as well a a farmer managing nearly 50 head of cattle. I have been a supporter of HI's initiatives for several years and fully support their "teach a man to fish" approach by helping to provide solutions to hunger as well as providing resources to help create sustainable agricultural opportunities that help lead to financial improvement. They are committed to providing agricultural resources that can create sustainable and long term solutions. Some may value a crop over an animal, which is fine, but I find the demonizing of leveraging animals for production (meat, wool, eggs, etc) short sighted and ill informed. HI's goal is admirable and is deserving of support.

A friend gave me a brochure from Heifer about 10 years ago. I took it with me on the train ride home to Chicago. As I read about Heifer and saw the photos of how animals IMPACT and CHANGE LIVES of people all around the world I began to cry. THIS was the type organization I had been looking to team up with. When you give an animal to a family, they are required to give it's first offspring to a neighbor, so the gift keeps giving long after the initial gift. It's an amazing model, and one that I'll always be a part of. I usually donate goats and llamas. When I'm able too, I'm going to donate cows as well. Thank you Heifer for making donating so easy, and so powerful. Mike

I love Heifer International! I cannot speak highly enough! While many non-profits focus on short-term solutions (i.e. food, bottled water, etc), Heifer focuses on long-term solutions--providing livestock. I give to Heifer several times a year and never question where my money is going. I know it is going to empowering communities to help themselves and make their community sustainable!

Agroecology - In a world where land is overused, community members need to learn how to protect and rejuvenate their land, water and other natural resources. Heifer helps by teaching environmentally sound agricultural techniques. Animal Well-Being - Before any Heifer animal is passed along to a project partner, Heifer trains the new recipient in animal management, using our strictly enforced. Animal Welfare Guidelines Gender Equity - In Heifer's view, gender equity is a social justice and human rights issue that directly leads to ending hunger and poverty. That's why our participants are equal partners in sustainable development projects. HIV-AIDS - Today, we as a world community, confront AIDS, a virus that in the past 25 years has either infected or killed over 64 million people. It is not only a health issue, as it fractures every sector of society, for Heifer, it is a prominent concern in the arena of sustainable development. This is why Heifer is incorporating HIV/AIDS education in our community training groups. Microenterprise - Heifer provides both "no-interest living loans" in the form of livestock, as well as small monetary loans to help people start and expand businesses that yield big benefits for families. Urban Agriculture - Heifer is reconnecting city-dwellers with their food sources, building strong alliances and instilling an entrepreneurial spirit among adults and youth through our Urban Agriculture projects. Young People's Initiative - Heifer weaves youth-focused programs through all our project work and emphasizes young people's needs. Through Heifer International people who either have time to volunteer, through information booth that can be set-up during local events to inform the public of all these different avenues that Heifer International does to help people develop sustainable life styles. Even if a person on a limited budget. Through their on line gift catalog you can afford for as little as $10 a gift that can help a family gain independence to feed their families, communities, to start a micro-business and to pass on that gift to another family.