5-H

This is just one of the uber cool shirts you can buy from Animal Place Store as a donation to the cause!
Animal Place is an animal sanctuary in California that takes in abused farm animals. Horses, pigs, goats, cows, and other mistreated critters get a second chance to live the life they were born to live if they are lucky enough to end up at Animal Place. The rescue mission of Animal Place is wonderful in itself but that's not all the good they are doing! They also run a campaign called 5-H which encourages kids in the 4-H program to add a 5th H for Humane Choices.
"The 5-H program offers kids involved in 4-H a unique opportunity to truly reach their full potential as caring human beings, which is essentially the goal of 4-H. The difference is that the kids will have an opportunity to extend this level of care to include the farmed animals they are raising. Those animals whom they have cared for since birth and grown to love will not have to be subjected to the ultimate betrayal of trust by being sold for slaughter. The kids will not have to continue the process of desensitization which makes the betrayal easier each year. They can continue to develop loyalty, trust, compassion, empathy—the very traits that are so critical to a child’s (and an adult’s) character and which are integral to the programs offered by 4-H that do not involve the raising and killing of animals. "

I think it's very important to teach children about where their food comes from at a young age so they will grow up to make smarter and more humane choices. I doubt many kids understand how a chicken ends up as a nugget on their lunch tray! I know I didn't have a clue. I explain my vegetarian lifestyle to my nephews. They are all 9 and younger. They still have to eat what their parents put on their plates and I respect that, but I also answer their questions honestly. I am interested to see what choices they will make for themselves later on down the road. I can see compassion in their futures based on their curiosity and love for animals. I hope my crystal ball is right!

My friend Shaun is a vegetarian and has been for a very long time. Her whole family is. I wish mine was. She has a 1 year old and a 10 year old that she is raising to be kind to the earth and all it's creatures. He daughter Carrington has held several bake sales at First Friday's Art Walk in Richmond to raise hundreds of dollars to donate towards humane animal causes. I think that's great! :> This world needs more Mom's like Shaun Aigner Lee! She's amazing.