Little Rock-based Heifer International is known for its charitable and educative efforts to combat world hunger and poverty. With a new initiative, the global nonprofit is now focusing on poverty issues in the United States.
Heifer describes its Seeds of Change initiative as "a new multi-year, multi-million dollar grant and technical assistance ... to foster economic development and improve access to nutritious, locally-produced food among food insecure populations." The initiative focuses on two areas in the U.S. with the highest poverty rates: the Arkansas Delta and Southern Appalachia.
The organization awarded two planning grants for $125,000 to the East Arkansas Enterprise Community and to the Appalachia District Health Department to be used for agricultural equipment, training, and economic development.
For more information on the program, visit Heifer's page, Seeds of Change Initiative.