Heifer International

If a child comes to you with a scraped knee you have a few ways to help: put a bandage on the scrape, put a bandage on the scrape and retie the untied shoelaces the child tripped on, or put a bandage on the scrape and teach the child to tie his or her own shoelaces. All are valid solutions, but the longest-lasting solution is the third option. Though totally unrelated to scraped knees and shoelaces, this is the idea behind Heifer International: giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief.

If you've never heard of Heifer International, give yourself a minute to get over how adorable it is, because it is adorable. You can buy a flock of chicks or ducks for a family, bunnies, a llama, a cow, a pig - I dare you to think about this and not think, awww. It's okay; go ahead.

Now, usually when something is adorable it doesn't bother trying to be much else since it can get by on its adorableness. Heifer International bothers to be more. The animals aren't pets. According to Heifer, "We refer to the animals as 'living loans' because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal’s offspring to another family in need." Animals provide milk, wool, power, eggs, meat, and offspring, commodities for self-sustenance and market. Nor does Heifer simply drop a cow off at a door and say good luck; they provide training and organizational development. Their aim is to build communities and secure futures.

The online gift catalog offers animals such as heifers, sheep, water buffalo, goats, and bees, and it also offers seeds and trees. The cost of the gifts range from $20 for a flock of chicks to a heifer for $500 to $10,000 to support their Women in Livestock Development. Obviously, the gifts range from an individual contribution to a group fund-raiser contribution. If you've encountered Heifer International before, it was likely presented to you as a group fund-raiser. You can help fund a project, set up monthly giving, or set up a gift registry. You can also make an online monetary donation of any amount that will go where it's most needed.

Other ideas: Buy it as a gift for someone who doesn't want gifts or who doesn't usually like your gifts. For birthdays request that all gifts come from Heifer. In lieu of favors at a wedding reception, baby or briday shower, etc., give guests a note on cow-shaped or colored paper that informs them that the favor money was spent at Heifer International instead. I'm sure you can come up with even better ideas.

Heifer International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Heifer International
1 World Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72202.
1-800-422-0474.
www.facebook.com/heiferinternational
www.twitter.com/heifer


Heifer isn't looking to replace the necessary bandages and shoelace tiers but instead wants to make sure bandages and shoelaces are always available and that those who own them know how to use them. And come on, the ducks are so cute.