Let's go for it, let's think big! This summer let's empower our children and help them discover that they have the power to change the world.
While we are encouraging our children to read this summer we can be helping poor families all over the world! Read to Feed is a reading motivation/service learning program from Heifer International. Children are inspired to read more books for pleasure, while raising money, through sponsored reading, to help end world hunger and improve the environment.
I first became aware of this program when we lived near the Heifer Ranch in Arkansas. Our family read the book "Faith the Cow." By the end of the book our eyes were filled with tears but our hearts were full of hope! Heifer International is truly a wonderful organization.
What is Heifer International?
"Heifer International works to end world hunger and save the earth. For close to 60 years, Heifer has helped more than four million impoverished families in 128 countries lift themselves out of poverty and achieve self-reliance.
The idea is simple and it works. Instead of providing hungry families with a non-renewable source of food, Heifer International provides a "living loan" of an animal. The family's health and standard of living is greatly improved by what that animal can provide. This might be milk from a cow or goat, eggs from poultry, meat from rabbits, draft power from water buffalo or wool from llamas.
Key to success of the program is that Heifer provides extensive training in animal care, ecologically sound agriculture practices and community development. The result is to transform not just families, but the environment and community.
Another key cornerstone of Heifer International is "passing on the gift." Families who receive an animal repay the loan by passing on one or more of the animals' offspring to other needy families. That family passes on their gift to another family and so on. So one gift multiplies through the community.
Heifer International currently provides more than 27 types of animals that provide food and/or income to struggling families in 48 countries (including the U. S.)"
So what do you think? I think that if we all work together we can purchase an Ark of animals.
I know this is a lofty goal but lets think big! We would have to tell everyone we know. We would have to ask every child we know to start reading and to ask for sponsors. Once children receive money for reading their books they can go here and make their donation. You may click on this page at any time to see a running total of how much we have collected. The site accepts credit cards. I am sorry but the minumum donation is $10.00. If you were wanting to make a smaller donation, maybe you and a friend could make a donation together. Join as a team member and you will have the ability to e-mail friends, solicit donations and make your donations in your name.
The Read to Feed website is full of fantastic learning materials, fun and games! I will try to highlight some of the materials here in the coming weeks. I will also try to post a little review about some of our favorite books and a craft each week.
- reading-log1
- Informational sheet and sponsor pledge form
- A free book, "Beatrice's Goat" for the first 50 donations received at team Skip to my lou (please join team Skip to my Lou to make your donation and then e-mail me at cindyhopperATgmailDOTcom if you are one of the first 50 donations THANKS)
I hope you will join us on this little reading adventure this summer! Together we can make a difference!
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Thanks for stopping by today!
Hi! I’m one of your new subscribers (love your blog!). I have a question for you–I purchased one of those One Laptop Per Child laptops last Christmas when they had the plan of “buy two, and we send one to you.” I was curious about it and wanted to examine it. But now I would love to donate it to a child who needs and could use it. Do you have any ideas? Thanks!
http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php
I have been exploring your blog and I LOVE it. I have added you to my blogroll and look forward to reading more. Thanks so much for your great site!
My kid’s too young for this, but I just joined your team and have forwarded this post to my best friend who’s a teacher. Thanks for organizing this!
What a marvelous program. I am passing this on to my grandkids – I’ll be sure to be sponsoring them. Thanks for sharing.
i’ve linked you on my blog.. what a great idea…
[...] Skip To My Lou « Let’s Read to Feed! [...]
[...] You are invited to read along with us! Please join us for our Read to Feed project! More details about the program can be found here. [...]
I’ve signed up but I can’t get the button code to work for me – am I doing something wrong?
Heifer Intl is such a great group – thanks for publicizing their resources & opportunities for families to serve!
A friend is going to Ecuador this summer with Causes for Change. My 11-year-old boy was so inspired by her simple request soliciting Beanie Babies to give away on her trip, that he got permission from school, made up a flyer and collected more than 500 stuffed animals and loads of hotel-sized soap. It was fascinating to watch how excited he got about being able to help other kids. He even wrote a note on the toy he donated: “This is Fuzzy Bear. I hope you love him and will take very good care of him.” This is a boy who is beginning to understand how lucky he is and that the world isn’t all about him.
[...] can find more information about the Read to Feed program here. Download reading logs [...]
[...] books along with a complimentary craft or activity. Our hope is to bring awareness to the Read to Feed Project and also inspire everyone to read and craft with children. The projects and books that will be [...]
[...] we have Marie, from Make and Takes as our guest blogger helping us promote the Read to Feed project. If you want a daily dose of home keeping ideas and crafty tidbits please check out her blog! [...]
[...] celebrating a week of books and getting people excited to read, spreading the word about Read to Feed. So for today’s storytime, come visit me at Skip to My Lou to see what craziness a few silly [...]
[...] and Derek of the Curiosity Shoppe are guest posting today to help promote the Read to Feed Project! Everything you will find at their shop in San Fransisco is special. They have taken great care to [...]
[...] from Zakka Life, is guest posting here to inspire us to read and craft with our children while making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. You can always count on Jessica’s blog for original ideas and her clever crafts always [...]
[...] is having a week of guests share story time ideas in an effort to spread the word about the “Read to Feed” program. To read my about awesome story time activity, visit Skip To My Lou [...]
[...] thrilled with the opportunity to be a guest on Skip To My Lou – the Read to Feed program is great, and I hope this activity will get you and your family excited about reading [...]
[...] consider joining us to Read to Feed. Donations will be accepted through September 15th at Team Skip to my Lou. Please make a [...]
[...] me here and for your efforts encouraging the love of reading and raising awareness for the Read to Feed program- such an incredibly worthwhile [...]
[...] I hope you all were inspired by the fabulous guest bloggers. Please consider joining us to Read to Feed. We will accept donations through September 15th. If we all did just a tiny bit, together we [...]
[...] is the last day for Heifer International Read to Feed donations. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. I hope those of you that have been [...]
Keep up the good work.
[...] for you to enjoy! These crafts and activities were originally posted last summer to promote the Reed to Feed Program from Heifer [...]