Read To Feed Reaching For The Goal Line

Alexis has officially began reading for Read To Feed. Her goal is to raise $100 to give a gift of livestock to a family in extreme poverty. The money will be donated to Heifer International an organization that has been around for 65 years giving those in need a hand up not a hand out. Along with the gift of livestock the family receiving this gift will also get the training needed to raise the livestock.

A gift of one flock of chickens will provide a family in need with a sustainable living. Chickens produce eggs, a good source of protein. The eggs can be used for food and they can also be taken to the market and sold, giving a family a source of income. The chicken manure can be used to create a fertile compost to add to a garden therefore yielding more produce. Adding a rooster to the flock will allow the flock to grow and empower the family to "pass on the gift." Each participant who receives a gift of livestock from Heifer also agrees to give away an offspring to a neighbor, this is what Heifer International calls "passing on the gift". Passing on the gift produces a continuing chain of giving and has the power to lift an entire village out of poverty!

Below you will find a donation button if you would like to contribute to this wonderful cause. Our average donation is $5.00/person. That is equivalent to 25¢/book and Alexis pledges to read 20 books by December 6, 2011.

Celebrating World Food Day

Today is World Food Day, an international day to raise awareness of the year round action to alleviate hunger. Worldwide, 1/3 of food produced for human consumption goes to waste, while 925 million people are going hungry.

Today, as I watch my daughter eating her lunch, I feel thankful that she has never experienced hunger. This has sparked a passionate desire in me to teach Alexis to be mindful of the poor and hungry souls of this big world we live in. We will be doing some projects to help her grow into a compassionate human being, teaching her that we are citizens of the world, not only responsible for ourselves but for others as well.

In conjunction with celebrating World Food Day we are also celebrating  World Egg Day, which was on October 14. This is a day to bring awareness to the many benefits of eggs. This spring we began our own adventure with raising backyard chickens and we have a total of 10 laying hens.

Alexis giving the chickens a treat.

Each day we feed our chickens and give them fresh water. On weekends, Alexis helps out and this gives her some understanding of where our food comes from. Quick Fact: Eggs keep you looking healthy.

Eggs in the nesting box.

Today, Alexis gathered the eggs, there were 7 eggs waiting for us. We check the nesting boxes twice a day, we average 8-10 eggs per day.  Quick Fact: Eggs can help you deliver healthy babies.

In a month's time we gather approximately 12 dozen eggs. With these eggs we feed two households, mine and my Mother's. Quick Fact: Eggs give you energy.

Farm Fresh Eggs

We produce enough eggs to give to the neighbors as well. Today, Alexis washed and delivered 3 dozen eggs to 2 different neighbors. Quick Fact: Eggs help make you brainy.

Washing the eggs.

Clean hands save lives, so here Alexis is thoroughly washing her hand after handling the eggs.

October 15, was Global Handwashing Day. Handwashing is a critical hygiene practice that can make the difference between life and death in some parts of the world. Here is a video of a Tippy Tap in Uganda being used for handwashing. A reminder of how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America, where we have the luxury of clean and safe water and indoor plumbing.