Alternative Gifts Speak from the Heart and Help the Less Fortunate

Heifer Project International
Wednesday, 1 November 2000

LITTLE ROCK, AR -If giving gifts that are meaningless and quickly forgotten is frustrating, consider a goat, a cow, or a flock of geese. This alternative choice adds a new dimension to giving, especially when the recipient promises to pass on the first offspring to a neighbor in need.

The gift catalog from Heifer International enables a shopper to purchase an animal (or share of an animal) for an impoverished family in honor of friends or family members. Shoppers can find a wide range of gift donations to suit their budget, ranging from a share of a sheep (whose thick wool provides a valuable source of income) to a cow (supplying enough milk not only for a family to drink, but also to share with neighbors and sell for cash).

Honorees receive a gift card that explains the direct impact this gift will have in helping to reduce hunger in the U.S. and abroad. Online donors have the added option to choose from an assortment of designs to download their own, personalized honor cards, which may be printed or E-mailed.

"Thanks to you who send farm animals around the world to help the needy and hungry ones - especially children like me," says a little girl named Beatrice from an Heifer project in Uganda whose entire life was changed by receiving a milk-producing goat. For as little as $10, loved ones can be honored with gifts of Heifer farm animals for families who are desperate for nutrition and education, giving everyone a reason to celebrate the season.

Since 1944, Heifer International has helped more than four million families in 126 countries become self-reliant by providing them with quality livestock. Currently, Heifer supports over 300 projects in 46 countries that create sustainable small-scale farm enterprises to improve nutrition and supplement income for healthcare, clothing and education. Through its "living loan" of livestock, Heifer promotes self-reliance, which builds self-esteem and helps families lift themselves out of poverty. Families are trained in the proper care and maintenance of these animals, and are also required to "pass on the gift" by giving one or more of their animal's offspring to another family in need.

For more information, or to contact Heifer Project International, see their website at: www.heifer.org