Last month my mother offered to send a $10 contribution to Heifer International in the name of each grandchild, to help sponsor an animal of their choice.
What's Heifer International? I'm so glad you asked.
"Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. For more than 60 years, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income...
Every gift of an animal provides direct benefits such as milk, eggs, wool, fertilizer, as well as indirect benefits that increase family incomes for better housing, nutrition, health care and school fees for children. Recipients “pass on the gift” of offspring of their cows, goats and other livestock to others in an ever-widening circle of hope.
Heifer currently works in more than 57 countries, including the U.S."
Cleo's school collects aluminum cans to raise money for Heifer. Every year they raise enough to pay for a goat or a few rabbits; cans go for about thirty cents a pound and a goat costs $120, so those kids retrieve and crush about 400 pounds of cans a year. A flock of chicks or ducks or geese costs $20. A trio of rabbits will run you $60. You can buy shares in sheep, llamas, honey bees, pigs, water buffalo, and yes, heifers.
Cleo tried to charm her way to an entire water buffalo, which costs $250; when her heavy-handed application of puppy eyes had no impact she resolved to conduct her own fund raiser. She's collected a garbage bag full of crushed cans (five pounds = $1.50 -- woo hoo!) and she posted a fund raising widget on her blog. So far she's received seven donations for a total of $44.
Feel like your life won't be complete until you can say you helped buy a water buffalo? Here's your chance. Click on over to Cleo's blog and tell her Fee sent you -- she'll understand.
