Author Archives: Maegan Clark

About Maegan Clark

Maegan Clark lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, and started working at Heifer International in 2010 in social media. She is currently pursuing her master’s in public administration and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialized study in public relations. She is often found ‘tweeting,’ reading recipe articles and learning how to grow an herb garden.

Weekly Roundup: Be Classy, Vote for Heifer’s Global Blogging Ambassador

Posted on by
0

Be Classy, vote for Heifer’s Global Blogging Ambassador to win the Volunteer of the Year Award. The Classy Awards is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the country. They celebrate and recognize the greatest achievements from nonprofits to individuals worldwide.

This year, Heifer’s Global Blogging Ambassador, Betty Londergan has been nominated for the Volunteer of the Year in the South region for her time spent on spreading the word of Heifer’s work on www.Heifer12x12.com. Betty even wrote a blog on HuffPo Impact discussing her blog.

While visiting projects in the U.S., Betty was interviewed by local Little Rock’s news outlet KTHV:

Curious on how you can vote for our Global Blogging Ambassador to win the Classy Awards? Check out this easy how-to.

Pin It

Weekly Article Roundup: Giving the Resources to End Hunger

Posted on by
0

As part of Heifer’s 12 Cornerstones, providing training and resources is key in our success of helping to end hunger and poverty. Our long-term solution to ending hunger works with community involvement on teach not just the family receiving the gift, but other families as well.

In order to complete the Cornerstone Training, groups must receive several mandatory trainings such as Nutrition and Hygiene. Check out this video from Maggie Carroll, a Clinton School of Public Service student is who documenting Heifer’s projects in India:

Through our practices, Heifer has also created some pretty cool solutions to many problems people face in third-world countries such as needing renewable and cheap source of fuel. Heifer’s Uganda biogas project has solved just that. InterAction has given Heifer Uganda the “Best Practices and Innovations” award for creating a technique that uses cattle and pig waste to produce methane gas for lighting and cooking.

Through our school and community engagement tools, Heifer has created Read to Feed. Read to Feed is a reading incentive service-learning program that offers global education opportunities. This week we learned that Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Nobel and Gandhi Prize recipient and human rights activist from South Africa supports the program. 

Given the right resources, we can all be involved in ending hunger and poverty.
Pin It

Weekly Article Roundup: The Future is Up to Us

Posted on by
0

The past couple of days, Brazil has been hosting the Rio+20 conference focusing on a green economy for sustainable development and the institutional framework for sustainable development. World leaders from across the globe have joined forces to create a plan on how we can begin to make the future brighter for everyone. In order to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the future generation, we must all work together to find a sustainable way to treat our planet.

Check out our blog posts regarding Rio+20:

We feel very lucky at Heifer to have such wonderful supporters who devote their time to sharing the mission about Heifer’s work. Our global blogging ambassador, Betty Londergan, has recently visited Cameroon and discussed Heifer’s project work and its  impact on families around the world.

There is also good news coming out of Poland – poverty rates are decreasing! The latest In Context series discusses Heifer’s work in Poland and how families are lifting themselves out of hunger and poverty with the help of training and gifts of animals.

What stories have impacted you the most recently?

Pin It

How to Follow Along with #RioPlus20

Posted on by
0

Rio+20 is the short name for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development starting today in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the conference, world leaders and participants from governments, NGOs and the private sector are coming together to discuss how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection for our planet. This year’s conference will focus on a green economy for sustainable development and the institutional framework for sustainable development.

So just what is sustainable development? Well, the UN defines sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs.”  How do you learn more and keep up with Rio+20? It’s easy.

  1. Read more about the Rio+20 conference here.
  2. Follow the Twitter hastag #RioPlus20 to stay updated minute by minute
  3. Check out the Rio+20 Pinterest board where NGOs have been updating the board with important information
  4. Like the Rio+20 Facebook page
  5. Check out the UN’s YouTube channel with interviews from world leaders regarding the conference

What methods do you think we need to create a sustainable world?

Check out this infographic from the World Bank that shows how green growth is the pathway to sustainable development.

Pin It

Weekly Article Roundup: Honor Your Dad on Father’s Day

Posted on by
0

This Sunday, June 17, 2012, will be Father’s Day. As we prepare to honor the men in our lives who have made an impact on who we are , let’s also think about the fathers who are working to provide for their children. These past two weeks we’ve provided ways on how you can celebrate your dad this Father’s Day, stories of fathers who work to provide for their family, and shared what your father really wants this year.

Check out our pin board of fun activities you can make for a dad this Father’s Day.

Pin It

How To Give Your Dad The Best Father’s Day Gift

Posted on by
0

Who’s your dad? Is he the landscaper type who is always outside? Maybe he’s the fisherman who spends Sunday afternoons with a fishing pole and some bait. There is always the do-it-yourselfer dad who can fix anything. Or does your dad enjoy golf on the weekends?

No matter what type of a guy your dad is, Heifer has the perfect gift this Father’s Day. A gift from Heifer.

If your dad is the landscaper type, give him a goat. These versatile creatures can survive in even the most extreme climates. They supply up to a ton of milk a year, leading the way for better nutrition in impoverished communities.

If you’re dad is the fisherman, consider honoring him with fish. Healthy, lean sources of protein, fish help families increase their daily nutrition.

The do-it-yourselfer dad would enjoy a gift of a water buffalo. This “living tractor of the East” are tough guys who empower families to lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. A farmer can plant four times more rice with the help of a water buffalo than he can by hand.

If your dad would rather be on the golf course, then a flock of chicks is the ideal gift for him. One chicken can lay an average of 257 eggs a year for a family. This provides a family enough eggs to eat, sell and share, ensuring health and well being for an entire community. That’s a “birdie” any golfer would love.

If you’re looking for some fun activities this Father’s Day check out our Pinterest board showing fun, creative homemade gifts.

What kind of dad is your dad?

Pin It

How to End Hunger in the U.S.

Posted on by
0

A home to 300 million people, the U.S. has an estimated 49.1 million people living in hunger and poverty. That’s one in six struggling to have enough to eat. In the land of the plenty, healthy foods aren’t accessible enough to all who are in need. So what steps can we do today to make an impact in the U.S.?

1. Learn the fact about U.S. hunger from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2. Share the facts with your family, friends, and co-workers about the effects hunger and poverty can cause:

  • Children who do not receive an adequate diet have a harder time learning and keeping up in school.
  • Children and adults who are hungry are more vulnerable to common illnesses.
  • Adults who experience malnutrition may have weak muscles, bone or joint pain, and be unable to job related tasks at maximum speed.

3. Get involved by volunteering with organizations that provide assistance to those in need.

  • Volunteer at a soup kitchen or food bank by organizing and passing out food.
  • Donate non-perishable goods to shelters and charities in your community.
  • Invite over those in need for a meal or two a week.
  • Give without spending with these easy online tools.

Two significant pockets of poverty in the United States are the Mississippi River Delta in Arkansas and Southern Appalachia. Heifer USA is focusing its work in these two regions. Watch this video to learn more:

Pin It

How to Raise Money for Heifer While You Sweat

Posted on by
0

If you’re interested and health and fitness and are a supporter of Heifer, then this app might be for you. It’s called Earndit. A simple way to get fit and give back. So how does this work?

If you don’t already have one, download a workout app such as RunKeeper, Nike+, fitbit, Foursquare, EventTrail or Garmin to connect to Earndit. Next, create an Earndit account. They’ve made it really easy – you can use your Facebook, Yahoo!, WindowsLive ID, Twitter, Google or OpenID account. If you don’t have one of those accounts, or do not wish to link up your account with Earndit, they also provide you an account directly with the site.

Once your workout app and your Earndit account are linked, you go and workout. For every workout that you record in one of your apps, Earndit gives your points. They’ve included fun things to do such as earn trophies and compete with friends, but the best option is that you can give your points to Heifer.

Once you start to accumulate points, visit the giving section under “Redeem,” and you can choose Heifer. Give 500 of your points to Heifer to help provide a goat for a family in need.

Earndit Heifer Comments

See what Earndit users are saying about Heifer.

So go workout and think of the good you’re doing for charity. You’ve Earndit.

Pin It

Weekly Article Roundup: Creating a Commitment for Food Security

Posted on by
0

As an organization, we are committed to working to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. This also includes committing to providing a long-term sustainable solution for food security to our projects worldwide.

In the United States, we’re working in the Delta and Appalachia to provide resources and training for farmers to begin providing for their family and community. Take a look at these articles regarding our Seeds of Change project and poverty in the U.S.

We are also excited to hear President Obama and the G8 commitment to food security. Heifer CEO, Pierre Ferrari wrote a post today regarding how we welcome their announcement today that brings private and public sectors together to make a difference in Africa.

Roger Thurow, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global affairs wrote a post on how the benefit to reaching women farmers on HuffPost Impact. 

To follow along to the G8 summit, check out the Global Agriculture Development Initiative here, or follow on Twitter with hashtag #GlobalAg. 

 

Pin It