Heifer Village/Murphy Keller Education Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfJT3a61pwk

Facts

1. Heifer's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth, and the Murphy Keller Education Center, also known as Heifer Village, is part of that mission. Transformation through learning is the key to greater U.S. involvement, which is critical in order for us to end poverty.
   
   
2. No donations to international programs were used for the construction of Phase I or Phase II of the Heifer Village. Heifer respects the intentions of its supporters and donors. Donations had to be specified toward the Hope for the Future Capital Campaign to be used for construction.
   
   
3. The Murphy Keller Education Center is a gateway for individuals to learn how their actions make a difference in the lives of project families. This is a starting point for a transformational experience that motivates individuals to carry out Heifer's mission.
   
   
4. The exhibits in the building are geared toward many different learning styles and audiences. The Murphy Keller Education Center has programming, events and exhibits that reach out to a diverse community. From educational activities for school groups to cultural celebrations in a common space, the learning center is an active resource for communities with a consistent focus on how to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.
   
   
5. Like the LEED-certified Heifer International Headquarters, Phase II of Heifer Village was constructed with future generations in mind. Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter - the same firm that designed our headquarters - incorporated many of the same innovative techniques. Though the Murphy Keller Education Center was not submitted for LEED certification, it is Green Globes™ Certified (3 out of 4 Green Globes™). It is an environmentally sustainable building with features such as a water collection system that drains into the wetlands. This restorative effort not only demonstrates Heifer's commitment to ecological sustainability and water conservation, but also serves as an educational opportunity for visitors to learn how Heifer continues to care for the Earth.
   
   
6. The Murphy Keller Education Center's café, exhibits and gift shop all follow Heifer's mission: Exhibits include an introduction to Heifer International, its mission, vision, and success as well as the Global Solutions Gallery and the Make A Difference Gallery. 
     
     · In the Global Solutions Gallery, visitors learn about innovations in infrastructure, health care, education, fair markets and sustainable agriculture that have made the end of hunger and poverty possible. For example: a model of an integrated farm demonstrates the benefits of terraced agriculture, reforestation and the "living loan" bring to the sustainable success of developing countries and smallholder farmers.
     
     · The Make a Difference Gallery shows examples of how individuals can work toward ending hunger and poverty through actions in their homes, schools or faith community.
       
   · Marketplace showcases the many consumer goods produced with special attention to workers' rights. The shop carries fair trade international handcrafts that represent the areas in which Heifer works, as well as Heifer logo merchandise and books focusing on international development.
       
   · The Heifer Café features a menu that reflects Heifer's commitment to sustainable farming and caring for the Earth.

7. Heifer International is committed to its mission. In order to achieve that goal it must expand its resources to motivate all people to take active roles in ending hunger and poverty.

FAQs

What is the Murphy Keller Education Center?

Located on the Heifer International campus in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, the Murphy Keller Education Center is a place where visitors, staff, volunteers and the international development community come together to learn in-depth about world hunger and poverty, the current solutions to those problems and Heifer's mission in order to seek solutions to end hunger and poverty worldwide.

What kinds of exhibits are in the Learning Center?

Exhibits include an introduction to Heifer International, its mission, vision and successes, the Global Solutions Gallery and the Make a Difference Gallery. In the Global Solutions Gallery, visitors learn about innovations in infrastructure, health care, education, fair markets and sustainable agriculture that have made the end of hunger and poverty possible. For example: a model of an integrated farm demonstrates the benefits of terraced agriculture, reforestation and the "living loan" bring to the sustainable success of developing countries and smallholder farmers. The Village Common is an area beneath an indoor tree where Heifer staff can provide supplemental programming to school groups with curriculum tailored specifically to their needs.

What happens at the Murphy Keller Education Center?

The Murphy Keller Education Center has programming, events and exhibits that reach out to a diverse community. From educational activities for school groups to cultural celebrations in a common space, the learning center is an active resource for communities with a consistent focus on how to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.

How did Heifer pay for this?

The Murphy Keller Education Center was funded through a separate capital campaign. Only donations designated toward the Hope for the Future Capital Campaign were used for construction of the Murphy Keller Education Center.

Does the Murphy Keller Education Center have an environmentally sustainable design?

To establish the Murphy Keller Education Center as a leader in environmental design, Heifer pursued Green Globes™ recognition of the building. The Green Globes™ system is a revolutionary and widely respected process for encouraging and recognizing green building initiatives that incorporates more than 11 years of research and refinement by prominent international organizations and experts. As a Green Globes™ certified facility, the Murphy Keller Education Center provides a learning experience both in its design and content.

What kind of green technology is in the Murphy Keller Education Center?

The Murphy Keller Education Center is designed to leave a small "hoof-print" on its environment. Built on a former industrial brownfield, the first step was to clean the area. Dirt and debris from the old industrial park were cleaned and used in construction of Heifer's headquarters. The rest of these recycled materials were used for construction of the Murphy Keller Education Center.

During construction of the Murphy Keller Education Center, Heifer purchased materials from local firms. With glass and steel firms less than two blocks away, using local contractors was a practical way to reduce energy consumption while promoting the local economy, thus benefiting the whole community.

Even in the smallest details, Heifer has made an effort to create a building that reflects our commitment to caring for the Earth. Recycled and reclaimed steel was used for the frame of the building and recycled carpet and tiles decorate the interior. To conserve water, rainwater drains directly into our wetlands.

What is the purpose of the wetlands?

The wetlands that surround our headquarters are a re-creation of a typical cypress marsh native to Arkansas and can retain 2.2 million gallons of water.

The northern wetlands increase the amount of water retained by about 1 million gallons. These wetlands are a tupelo marsh, which consists of tupelo trees that are specific to the Delta region. The northern wetlands have more than 40 tupelos scattered and can grow as tall as 25 feet.