‘Tis the season for our annual Heifer International blog fundraising goodness!! We are spreading the cheer with one of the most worthy causes out there. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to help raise money for a great cause, and you too can participate with your own pledge!
You may have already heard of Heifer International, an organization that works to fight hunger by giving needy families around the world and in the United States livestock, training, or other assistance that helps improve their livelihood. Heifer has been recognized for its work in Fast Company and Forbes, among other places.
I know we’re still going through some difficult economic times, but if you have anything to spare this holiday season I hope you’ll consider making a donation.
In order to encourage people to spread the word, for every comment someone makes in this post between now and 6PM Pacific time on Wednesday, my wife and I will donate $1.00 (up to $1,000)
And, better yet, if you want in on the fun you could do a per-comment pledge on your own blog and enter it into the linky list at the bottom of this post. We can encourage everyone to stop by so we can multiply the giving! Last year we raised over $2,000 together.
In your comment I hope you’ll list:
1. Your name
2. Where you’re from
3. A wish for 2011
4. (optional) Your own per-comment pledge (amounts totally up to you). Write a dedicated post on your blog for people to leave comments on your blog and link to Heifer and state your pledge. Then enter it into the linky list so everyone can stop by and leave a comment.
Thank you so very very much for making 2010 such a great year, and let’s keep the good cheer going into 2011.
UPDATE 12/26:
Donation made!
And thanks to the other generous bloggers/commenters, the total raised so far is nearly $1500 (and some are still in progress).
Thanks so much to everyone for participating!
Anonymous says
Jay
Earth
More wishes
Anonymous says
What a wonderful thing to do! Wishing you the best with your great endeavors! Donna in Illinois
alexia says
Rock out! I give to Heifer every year for Christmas, too! Awesome organization. I love that they are creating sustainable businesses, not just giving them a temporary fix. I haven't made my donation yet, so I'll sign up for the blog pledge!
Cacy says
1. Cacy
2. California
3. I'm going to second Brian Russell's wish ("A healthy publishing industry full of wonderful opportunities for debut writers. Just, um, because"). Seconding someone else's wish is allowed, right? Maybe even doubles the power of said wish?
Nora Coon says
What a fantastic thing to do! I'm Nora Coon from Portland, Oregon – for 2011, I'll wish that everyone could spend a bit more time thinking of and acting for others.
hannah says
Hannah
Maryland
I want to be way happier this time next year.
Also, my mom gets a Heifer goat for me every year for Hanukkah, and it's awesome.
Lanval's Maiden says
Hi there!
I'm Beth, and I'm from Pennsylvania. I worked with Heifer Project to help build fences and barns every year at Easter throughout high school and was really excited when @hannahmosk retweeted your blog post.
As for wishes for 2011 – I hope to see less division and more cooperation and understanding throughout the world.
Amalia Gladhart says
Wonderful effort! My family has been supporting Heifer Intl. since my parents worked with them as Peace Corps volunteers in the 60s.
Amalia Gladhart, writing from Oregon.
R.S.J. says
-Ruth
-Winterwonderland of Utah
-Hope to be a better person than I am today.
Shell says
Merry Christmas, Nathan, to you and your lovely wife (I can say things like that having never met her because lovely people do lovely things like this).
R.D. Allen says
This is R.D. Allen from the South here and there, and one of my wishes for 2011 is to get at least a partial request of my novel, I'M SORRY, from a publisher.
maya says
What a fabulous idea!
I use Heifer International for my gifts to people who have everything they need! A really practical gift that keeps on giving.
I'm Maya, from Hong Kong, but currently living in Australia. My wish is that people will become more aware of global issues so people all over the world have, at very least, all their basic human needs met.
Mayaah says
Happy Holidays. Best of wishes to your blog, your book, and your family!
Ottilia says
I'm from the UK, love to read your blog Nathan, even though I usually do not comment (by the time I receive them they're getting a bit old).
My wish for 2011?
Peace on Earth!
I know it's an old one, but it's never happened yet…
Olivia says
Merry christmas & a happy new year!
howdidyougetthere says
Nice!!
Happy Holidays,
Kristi Thompson
Other Lisa says
Howdy!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Lisa Brackmann, generally from Venice CA, writing this from Beijing, China (but I'll be home for Christmas, the Travel Gods willing).
I have a hard time narrowing things down to one wish, but I think I will go for wishing that the Ship of State gets back on a healthier, more rational course, that the powers that be realize that a more just and equitable society is a better society for everyone, that we rediscover the possibility of dreams and transformation.
Something like that, anyway.
Daryl Northrop says
Hello! Thank you for doing this.
I am spending the holidays in Alexandria, VA.
Hoping more people in 2011 will do things like this.
Raj says
Raj
India
Finish my Novel and get it published.
Cool idea. happy holidays to you and family.
Valerie says
Heifers for everybody! This is a great cause.
Happy holidays from the greater-Nashville area!
Lynne Dempsey says
Thanks for doing this!
Lynne Dempsey
Lancaster,PA
World Peace
My kids and I have the Heifer catalog. We'll be making our contribution over the holidays.
(I'll retweet.) Have a very merry Christmas!
Steph says
Happy holidays!
CMR Prindle says
How fantastic. Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year to you and your wife from CMR in chilly, but blessedly snow-free, NYC. My wish for 2011 is for a better year for those who had such a difficult 2010 (myself very much on that list!), and to finish this freaking novel.
God bless you and your wife.
Queen 'Bina says
This is Robin Ford from San Antonio, wishing for some crazy-good editing skills this year.
Ami Hendrickson says
I am with you again this year for your Heifer drive.
Here's wishing that all writers find acceptance both for themselves and for their words in the new year.
Have the happiest of holidays.
Julie says
Merry Christmas from Julie in Western Australia, with hope for a peaceful 2011.
CKHB says
I love Heifer International! Plan to buy a llama or water buffalo as a present for my mom sometime soon…
Rebecca T. says
This looks like a great organization! And thanks for doing this!
Jules says
Jules from Portland wishes you all happy holidays and a wonderful new year!
Julia's Child says
Hi! I also give to Heifer. I let my two children each choose a project for their own contribution. You are doing great work here.
Kelbian Naidoo says
Deborah from Toronto, Canada
Wishing for continued smiles for years to come 🙂
cheekychook says
1. Karen
2. Northern New England
3. Health and happiness for all
4. No blog, yet, but think it's great that you're all participating in this!
Happy holidays!
Andrea says
1. Andrea
2. Riverside, Ca right now, but sometimes Seattle.
3. That we all open our eyes to the small, beautiful and sometimes scary miracle that our lives are & try harder to be kind instead of caring so much for stuffs.
RedHeadedQuilter says
Kelly Smith
From: Canada
Currently living in (and loving): Colorado
My wish for 2011 is for unemployed people to find jobs they love as much as I love mine.
I would do a pledge drive too, but I've only been working for 3 months after 13 months unemployed, so I can't quite afford it yet.
Thanks for doing this again, Nathan! You rock!
monkeybethmedia says
Happy Holidays! This is a wonderful way to give during the season. Thank you, Nathan for being so generous to people in need.
This is Mary from Littleton, Colorado and I wish for people to positive change in 2011 – more kindness and compassion, better opportunities, and lots of laughter!
Take care.
Terry Albert says
Terry Albert from Poway CA. I wish for everyone in 2011 to stop playing politics and really work to fix the nation's problems. World peace would be good too while you are at it.
KatieJ says
Thanks for your continued blog, Mr. Bransford. I wish for another year of terriffic reading and writing. Kate Jenkins in Denver, Colorado.
Lori says
Lori Rader Day, Chicago
I wish for more writing time and for some of the kindness I've seen this season to last a long, long time.
Anonymous says
Samantha
London
To get the book I have been writing for 5 years published!!!
Tom M Franklin says
Tom M Franklin, originally from DC, now living outside Raleighwood, NC.
My wish? To have Book One accepted by my, hopefully, soon-to-be agent, followed by a sale to a publishing house!
— Tom
lucynicola says
Stephanie Brown
North Carolina
That the world will become a better place.
Polly says
Merry Christmas from Barbara in Seattle. I wish for a more just world for everyone's children.
Livia says
yay!
Deb Smythe says
You rock, Nathan.
Steph Sinkhorn says
1. Steph!
2. The North Bay Area in California
3. To keep on keepin' on with all the greatness 2010 bestowed upon me and my loved ones
4. Not doing a comment pledge, but I did donate to Drop In The Bucket and RAINN this year. Both great organizations that I highly recommend!
Anonymous says
Lauren from Connecticut.
I wish that everyone recieves at least one book for the holidays!
Teralyn Rose Pilgrim says
1. Teralyn Pilgrim
2. Portland, Oregon
3. I wish everyone in the world would read at least one book that they love this year. Maybe someday, we'll all love to read.
The Dude says
Frazer, Memphis, my wish is for a cooler summer than 2010!
N.A. says
1. Hughes.
2. Living in the Merrimack Valley, birthplace of Kerouac, once home to Robert Frost, where it is snowing right now this minute!
3. My wishes (from most plausible to least):
a. A white Christmas.
b. Dark chocolate, red wine, and coffee beans to rain down from the sky in some way that would be non-destructive.
c. A more sharply progressive tax system.
Jeigh says
Jeigh Meredith from West Virginia. Happy Holidays, everyone!