A Gift That Keeps on Giving From Heifer Project International
November 29th, 2008
I just bought a cow. And my employees and friends are helping pay for it.
For $500 it was a bargain. I bought it from Heifer Project International, a non-profit that provides animals to people throughout the world, giving them a sustainable source of food and income.
The premise is simple and reflected in the old proverb - “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for life.”
By providing animals such as cows, chickens, goats and sheep to people in developing countries, Heifer provides those individuals with the ability to feed and clothe themselves on an ongoing basis. I like supporting Heifer because it is a worldwide organization that reaches out to needy in South American and West African countries where the coffee beans and cocoa pods we depend upon for our livelihoods are produced.
Heifer began nearly 60 years ago with the simple idea of giving families a source of food rather than short-term relief. I have been a contributor to Heifer personally, but have never done it with my employees. At the Sustainable Brands Conference in Monterey, Calif., in July, I had the opportunity to meet several people from Heifer and was quite impressed with their dedication and professionalism and I resolved to do more with them this year.
When I returned from the conference, I shared the Heifer story with my staff and we decided to contribute. Contributions to the cow start at only $20, so for the price of one mocha every week for a month, people have the opportunity to make a small difference in the world. If you want to track our progress or help us reach our goal, click on this link or go to www.Heifer.org and look for the Team Heifer tab under the Get Involved pull-down menu. Type in my name in “search teams” to find us at Mont Blanc Gourmet. We are now the proud donors of a cow.
Chocolatier Michael Szyliowicz is an innovator who crafts quality syrups in his Denver lab. Michael's adventurous spirit takes him around the globe in search of trends and best practices. He shares his musings, observations and experiences.
Michael, as a Heifer Volunteer Coordinator from the Midwest Region, let me say thanks for your part in educating people about Heifer, as well as for your company’s donation of a cow. I just established a Team Heifer site also. The internet is becoming such a wonderful way to connect with people you would have no reason to know otherwise. And so many people will benefit from the gifts because of the “Passing on of the Gifts”.
I am going to guess you might be of Polish descent. I visited many of our Poland Heifer projects in 2003 and again in 2005. It is just amazing how the gift of something like bees can change a family’s life in a matter of a few months.
My Team page is under my name Barb Oakes. I established a Team for “The Unseen Guest With the Empty Bowl”. I have invited people to place an empty bowl on their table as if they were feeding someone else. A $20 contribution for chickens and ducks can keep a child in school and break the cycle of poverty for the family. Thanks again for your part in helping the world. Barb
Comment by Barb Oakes — December 1, 2008 @ 1:16 am