Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

HPI Aids With Gift Of Cattle

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach the man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

The same principal applies to Heifer Project International (HPI), an organization giving cattle to needy people, teaching them how to care for the animals so they can provide for themselves and their families.

Frankie Reynolds, with HPI, told this to members of the Gurdon Rotary Club at its regular weekly meeting, Thursday, Aug. 20.

The work of HPI, Reynolds said, began with the dream of one man, Dan West.

West was a farmer in Goshen, Ind., belonging to a peace church with the belief in service to all. He was also an educator.

In the middle 1930s, West was asked by his denomination to leave his farm and do volunteer work during the Spanish Civil War. Part of his duties was to give a cup of powdered milk to children.

However, the milk ran out before all the children had been served. This weighed heavily on West, who reasoned it would be better to give the needy a milk cow so they would have plenty of milk and could sell the excess supply for extra money for the family.

He discussed this idea with different people while in Europe, and it was well received. But, upon his return to the United States, his church wasn't enthusiastic about the concept.

Still, West continued working toward his dream, wondering how he could begin.

The dream became a reality when a neighbor farmer hears of West's idea and donated a cow named 'Faith' to the cause.

The first shipment of cows was made in 1944 going to Puerto Rico. The three cows shipped there were, interestingly enough, named Faith, Hope and Charity.

Since then, HPI has grown and works in 115 countries worldwide, along with 35 states in the U.S.

Shipments of cattle nationally went to Pine Bluff and Cotton Plant. in 1945 and '46.

Now, the worldwide headquarters for HPI is located in Little Rock, with the organization's main cattle ranch in Perryville.

HPI no longer deals solely in milk producing cows, but has 20 species of livestock it sends around the globe.

It's goal is to teach people regenerative agriculture, community development and help those who receive the donations become leaders in their communities.

HPI has helped more than one million impoverished families around the world to become more self-reliant through the gift of livestock and training in how to care for the animals.