July 26th, 2012

Is your neighborhood far from a proper supermarket and surrounded by inexpensive fast-food outlets with few healthy choices? If so, you may fall into the realm of what many characterize as a food desert. A website from the U.S. Department of … Continue reading →

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July 23rd, 2012

Editor’s note: Jan Schrock is a former Heifer director of church and community relations who is now retired and serving as an area volunteer coordinator in Maine. Jan is the daughter of Dan West, Heifer’s founder. On June 13, Jan spend the … Continue reading →

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June 18th, 2012

As our project Seeds of Change takes root in the United States, Arkansas project manager Senchel Matthews shares how the project is shaping up in the Arkansas Delta. Watch here: See how you can help make a difference through Heifer here … Continue reading →

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June 17th, 2012

Happy Father’s Day to our Heifer dads and supporters the world over.  

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June 14th, 2012

We all know the best way to tell if your expired milk has really soured is to open up the cap and take a not-so-large whiff.  But what if the carton changed color when it spoiled, saving your nose from … Continue reading →

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November 30th, 2010

‘Tis the season for giving, but what how does the environmentally-conscious shopper weave a bit of good stewardship into all that holiday generosity?

Before making a list of energy-efficient gadgets or rushing out to buy your spouse a brand new electric car, consider a little more expanded approach to gifting “green.”

For several years now, my wife has given our eco-friendly offspring (and a few friends) a donation to Heifer International. You’ve probably heard of Heifer: They’re the folks who literally provide heifers (young cows), goats, sheep, llamas, rabbits, chickens and geese – among other good chain-friendly creatures — to impoverished families, hoping to help lift them up and enable them to be more self-sufficient.

So how, you may ask, is this green?

These animals help turn dependent people into ones who can provide their own food, which is about as “sustainable” as it gets. In Heifer International’s case, that heifer is a source of milk for children and the potential to sell excess milk to pay for food, clothing and other necessities. With proper planning, the heifer can produce offspring that can help the gift keep on giving over multiple generations.

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December 4th, 2009

By Harriet Blake
Green Right Now

Unlike other retail gift suitors seeking your holiday dollars, Heifer International is on a mission.

It wants to “pass on the gift” of a donation to a family in need in the developing world, giving them not short-term relief but a way to help themselves — a source of food, animals to raise, a hold on a small business.

Started in 1944 by Midwestern farmer Dan West, Heifer’s unique concept literally began with a heifer, a young female cow. Not only does the cow provide milk for one family, its offspring can then be given to other families to do the same. In this way, Heifer International has assisted 8.5 million people in more than 125 countries since its inception.

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