This year's logo!

Dazzled by the amazing designs Lori Heintz created, it took us a while to choose just one. The votes are finally in, and this is our official logo. All those beautiful, life-saving animals won our hearts. Great Job, Lori!

Our Six Featured Projects!

NAVAJO
Genetic Improvement for Scrapies Resistant Sheep
20-0631-02

GUATEMALA
FUNDAMENO; Food Security Project for Q'eqchi Maya Communities/Alta Vera Paz
23-0102-02

PERU
La Union Integrated Ecological Management Project
23-0238-70

POLAND
Swine Project for the Children of the Eagle's Nest Orphanage in Marwica
27-0634-01

VIETNAM
Promotion of Small Scale Dairy Production in the Mekong Delta
22-0775-07

ZAMBIA
St. Mary's Dairy Youth Dairy Project Phase II
21-0118-02

Change for Kids Challenge

A goat can make a huge difference in the life of a child in a developing country. Any doubt about that can be dispelled by the story of Beatrice Biira, retold in the best-selling, children's book Beatrice's Goat. When Mugisa (their goat) arrived, the family had been struggling just to survive, but after Mugisa they had enough money to send Beatrice to school. Beatrice is now a student at a college in the U.S., and the subject of a recent special on 60 Minutes.
We'd like to challenge West Michigan's children to save enough change to purchase a goat, so that another girl or boy can benefit in the same way Beatrice has. Local churches and schools can get involved by requesting Ark banks and calendars that will help the children save their change. Children will then bring their banks to the Living Gift Market, and we'll keep track to see which organization brought in the most change to make the biggest difference.
To get your organization in on the act, contact us through our email address--heiferhappening@gmail.com

Sponsors Wanted

Six hand-picked Heifer projects from around the world will add a new dimension to this year's market. Special, round display tables will educate market-visitors about Heifer's work in each of the six areas of the world, the project itself, what the project needs that market-visitors can purchase from our animal booths, and about the project's sponsor.
Project sponsorship is a new way for local businesses to become involved with Heifer Happening. Presentation teams from the market's organizing committee will be recruiting business owners to adopt a project for the simple fee of 100 dollars. In return for their donation, sponsoring businesses will be highlighted in our press kit, in our Market Passport, and at their project's display.
We are looking for businesses that are eager to partner with us to end hunger around the world. Like all of Heifer's work, we'd prefer strong local organizations. If you are a business owner, or you know of a business that might be interested in sponsoring a project, please contact us at heiferhappening@gmail.com.

Bees in Her Genes

"I feel like a fraud, I do not have any bees myself!" Jeanne Smith said when I emailed her about her booth for last year's Heifer Happening. It turns out Jeanne is just a willing volunteer with a fascination for bees. Her lavish display included a beehive she borrowed from a friend. However, beekeeping might be in her genes, her great-grandfather was a beekeeper.

From India to the Dominican Republic, bees from Heifer International help struggling families earn income through the sale of honey, beeswax and pollen.

Beehives require almost no space, and once established, are inexpensive to maintain. As bees search for nectar, they pollinate plants. Placed strategically, beehives can as much as double some fruit and vegetable yields. In this way, a beehive can be a boon to a whole village.

Although most Heifer partners keep bees as a supplement to family income, beekeeping can be a family's livelihood. Your gift provides a family with a package of bees, the box and hive, and training in beekeeping.

Jeanne and her husband Phil will bee back again at this year's market, ready to help you understand and support Heifer's special helpers--Bees!

Fearless Leadership

Nancy Spalenka is a busy woman. As the Heifer Volunteer Coordinator for Southwest Michigan, she coordinates speaking engagements, makes presentations, and leads the effort for the annual Living Gift Market.
Nancy has been a Heifer Volunteer since April 27, 1983 when the United Methodist Church invited two people from her district to come to a workshop about Heifer Project International. Over the last 24 years, she's done 114 presentations for Heifer, and attended 11 workshops.
Her most dramatic training experience with Heifer was a study tour to Honduras in April of 2005. Members of the group met with AHPROCAFE, a coffee growers association that Heifer is helping to supplement the grower's income by adding honey bees to their activities. The photo above was taken of Nancy as she met with a group of women who called themselves "Struggling Together." The women grow coffee and they shared with Nancy the hardships of their life while they roasted coffee beans. Nancy also met with another group of Lenca women who had received chickens, pigs and cows. These women served lunch from a primitive outdoor oven.
Even before her trip to Honduras, Nancy was convinced that Heifer was doing important work that changes lives. Her tireless efforts to raise fund and awareness inspire all of us.

What is a Living Gift Market?

If you could have any gift you wished, what would it be? Peace on earth? An end to hunger? Preservation of the environment? Education for a child? We have just the place where you can "purchase" these items--the Heifer Happening, Living Gift Market.
Our market "sells" food and income-producing animals like goats, bees, chicks and heifers. The animals go to resource-poor families working to improve their lives. Heifer International also provides technical training in the care of the animals and in preserving and healing the environment.
The Market gives over and over again. You honor a friend or loved one with an attractive card describing the gift you have bought in their honor. You empower an impoverished family with an animal and training in its care. The family shares its knowledge and the animal's first offspring with another family. And that family shares. That's the power of Heifer's cornerstone value--passing on the gift.
In all this you will find a gift for yourself as well--less hustle and bustle shopping time, a gift of gratitude that you have true abundance to share.
Come and experience the power of alternative giving. Come to Heifer Happening this year.