HEIFER INTERNATIONAL

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The Start of Heifer International
During the Spanish Civil War, Heifer International founder Dan West of Indiana served as a relief worker handing out cups of powdered milk from America to children on both sides of the conflict.  When the supply ran out but the line of hungry children didn't, he thought, “If families had a dairy cow they could be spared the indignity of depending on others to feed their children.” 

In 1944 the first shipment of 17 dairy cows went to families in Puerto Rico whose malnourished children had never even tasted milk – and Heifer International was born.  Providing livestock and training to hungry families is Heifer's unique approach around one simple idea – not a cup, but a cow. 

Over the years, Heifer has touched the lives of more than four million families in 128 countries, providing animals and teaching families how to provide for themselves lasting sources of food and income. 

Heifer's administration is funded completely by corporations, so every dollar donated by us goes directly towards funding the actual projects.  Heifer has over 2500 projects at work around the world. 

One of Our Own Gets Involved
In the mid-1940’s St. Paul’s parishioner Mabel-A. Hammersmith read about this concept in the Chicago Tribune, contacted the West family and made a donation.  She has been a benefactor ever since.  In 1966, while in Colombia, South America, she even participated in a  “Passing on the Gift” ceremony, the heart of the Heifer project. 

A Gift that Keeps on Giving
People who receive Heifer's help ”pass on the gift” of offspring of their animals and training in animal husbandry, spreading the benefits far beyond the original recipients to many millions of people. present. 

Heifer International makes a lifelong commitment to those it helps.  This is especially important to people areas ravaged by weather and war.  Heifer promises to replace livestock lost from natural or political disasters, giving people a continuing sense of hope.  Your gift of sharing creates a powerful force and gives people the ability to overcome obstacles even their own governments can't. 

St. Paul's Gets Involved
St. Paul’s involvement began in the mid-1980’s when Mabel suggested Heifer International as a good project for our parish.  Since then, St. Paul's has donated continually to Heifer International so they can continue their good work.   Each parishioner receives an ark bank that they can use to save loose change.  There is also a month-long parish campaign for gifts of greater substance. 

Donations are usually unrestricted, but occasionally we designate them for specific uses of special concern.  In 2001, for example, our funds were designated to go to Afghanistan. 

For the past two years, St. Paul’s church school children have spent a Saturday baking cookies for a bake sale after the Sunday morning mass to raise funds for this outreach program.  For each of the past three years, St. Paul’s has been able to send more than $1,000 to Heifer International. 

How You Can Help

• Time:  Help administer this project and communicate the good work of Heifer International to our parish and community.
• Talent:  Help promote St. Paul's Heifer Event with new fundraising ideas and the development and implementation of those ideas so we can increase our annual donation to Heifer International.
• Treasure: 
1. Take home an ark bank and fill it with your spare change. 
2. Make a donation at the annual Heifer Event. 
3. Give gifts to Heifer in the name of others for a special event like a birthday, wedding, or anniversary.  Mabel Hammersmith has gift cards to give the person being honored. 

Further Information
See Sabrina Olsen 

-See also-
Heifer International Website