BS: Heifer International

Subject: BS: Heifer International
From: Sawzaw
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 10:09 PM

Who wants to join me in a donation to Heifer Intl?

I have considered donating to this organization and now I believe I will.

They give plants or animals to poor people in other countries so they can better support themselves. This appeals to me more than giving food or money which makes them dependent rather than independent. It empowers them rather than making them even more helpless.

Does anybody have anything negative to say about the organization or is there any reason not to give? Or maybe there is a similar organization that is more efficient.

There is plenty of negative stuff about animals being killed for food and being bad for ecology but there are positive things too. I believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

It you believe giving livestock is bad, they have a Gardener's Basket but it includes chickens and rabbits. Then there is the gift of trees with no animals.

The BBB says in 2008 it took in $139 mil and $98 million went to the program. Programs: 79% Fund Raising: 15% Administrative: 6%

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 10:31 PM

I will. How do we go about it? mg

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 10:32 PM

I have donated trees through Heifer International. The husband of a friend had died and had requested that trees be planted in his memory, but since I live in a condo I can't plant trees near my home. As I recall, the trees were to prevent erosion.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Sawzaw
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 11:12 PM

Go here heifer.org

Gifts are here heifer.org/gift-catalog

They can't track what goes where either. Some gifts go to Arizona, Georgia and Arkansas.

One thing I don't like is that they give baby chicks to people in China. China should be aiding their own people or sending aid to Arizona, Georgia and Arkansas.

Some things don't ad up like 3 rabbits cost $60?

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Ron Davies
Date: 19 Oct 11 - 11:56 PM

They seem to be a very worthwhile charity.

I give to them. The philosophy seems to be an excellent one.

The catalogue I got last year strongly implied that you could in fact specify where the gift was to go.

Also, kids really like it if you give an animal/animals in their names.   And it gets them into a good habit: thinking about others.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: ranger1
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 01:01 AM

I donate to Heifer yearly. The gift is symbolic, they use the money where it is most needed. The cost includes teaching the recipients of the animals how to care for them properly as well as in a manner that is sustainable for the particular area that they live in. Why does it matter where the gift is giving as long as it benefits someone in need? Are we not all citizens of earth?

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Cuilionn
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 10:13 AM

My grandfather, a dairy farmer in Washington State, contributed some of the very first heifers when the program was brand new. I remember hearing, when I was in my early teens, that something like 80% of the chickens in South Korea could be traced to chickens introduced through the Heifer Project there.

The combination of animal, plant, or other donations along with the carefully-designed, situation-appropriate training offered to recipients is a sound approach. In addition to animal husbandry, the program also teaches sustainable habitat management and erosion control, beekeeping, and other types of community development.

I add my own voice of hearty endorsement!

--Cuilionn

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Sawzaw
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 10:49 AM

Wahoo! So far I see nothing but agreements here. Much better and more constructive than arguments. Agreements bring people together.

My latest catalog says "To help the greatest number of families move toward self-reliance, Heifer does not use its limited
resources to track gift animals from donation to distribution. Instead, your gift supports the entire Heifer mission. We use
your gift where it can do the most good by combining it with the gifts of others to help transform entire communities. In FY
2008, Heifer assisted a more than 1 million families through gifts of animals, training and passing on the gift. Heifer also
educated the general public about world hunger, poverty and the environment and promoted ways for each individual to
make a difference."

Wow. They took in $139 mil and helped over 1 million families at $139 per family which would be several people. so that would be several million people.

In Canada too.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: GUEST,999
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:47 AM

One minute video here.

Good organization. Nice thread, Sawzaw.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:51 AM

I've supported them for years. My favorite dedicated donation is a goat; they are tough little beasts and can survive in almost any environment. And they produce milk, wool, and when too old for that may be recycled into goat stew.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 01:21 PM

And bordrans ??

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Ed T
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 04:56 PM

Thanks for this. I like it, and I will be a donor.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: ranger1
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 07:09 PM

I love the quarterly magazines that they mail out (World Ark) giving you good news stories about some of the people who have been helped by their gift of livestock. I also love the stipulation that the ecipients have to pass the gift on by giving the first born of their gift to another family in need.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Arkie
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 09:08 PM

Hearty endorsement from here as well. My wife and I have been contributing to the Heifer Project for quite a few years now and have yet to hear any negative reports. Glad to see more interest.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 11:25 PM

All right, who gave them my mailing addy? Here we are with this thread and today's mail brought me a catalogue! Talk about serendipity. I don't recall ever contacting them or anything. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!**bg**

Really glad to learn more. Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 21 Oct 11 - 10:55 PM

My brochure came on Thursday, too! I almost did laugh out loud.

Subject: RE: BS: Heifer International
From: Arkie
Date: 21 Oct 11 - 11:16 PM

Kat perhaps you signed up when this thread ran.

Heifer Project