Read below to find out more about currrent and future projects at Chickens.org!

Launched our Coops & Gardens Initiative with five fully funded coops and gardens!

1. Lovettsville Elementary School Chicken Coop & Expanded Garden

Lovettsville, Virginia, USA | Grant Award: $4,780

Lovettsville Elementary School is part of a rural community with a diverse student population including special needs students and students labeled “at risk.” After raising silkie chickens herself, Special Education Teacher, Meagan Love, wanted to integrate chicken raising into their school curriculums. Lovettsville Elementary became one of the first pilot programs for the Coops and Gardens Initiative, receiving educational resources and consulting about raising chickens, gardening, and composting and full funding to set up their school chicken coop and expand their existing garden.

“Some of my special friends don’t have the best behaviors all the time, so this motivates them to do well & work hard. They love it and we are using [the chickens] as a motivational tool and a way to improve mental health of our students. It just makes us all happy!” Meagan told us.

PE teacher, Hugh Brockway, has incorporated the school’s existing garden beds into their PE programs. One day a week kids tend to their vegetable garden. Last fall they grew about 30lbs of carrots to donate to a local charity to feed people in need. With the help of Chickens.org, they can grow even more food this year.

“We found it so impactful to give kids a purpose. To come to school to work with chickens and garden, they have a sense of accomplishment that keeps them wanting to come back and do more,” Hugh noted. Meagan added, “They are learning these lifelong skills that will set them up for success after they leave the school.”

Although still in the early stages, the chicken project has already had a big impact on the school community.

2. Belfast Area High School Chicken Coop

Belfast, Maine, USA | Grant Award: $3,388.24 

Belfast Area High School (BAHS) is a public high school in Belfast, Maine. They first hatched chickens in 2021 and found the chicks to be a useful tool to engage students across various subjects. Seeing the impact, the chicks had led teachers and admin to start a STEM related unified after school club, where their special education and neurotypical students could improve their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math concepts.

BAHS became one of the first pilot programs for the Coops and Gardens Initiative. They receive educational resources and consulting about raising chickens, gardening, and composting and full funding to set up their school chicken coop and garden. 

3. The Children’s Village

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA | Grant Award: $1500

The Children’s Village is an established 501(c)3 in Coeur d’Alene,  Idaho. They help people in crisis situations with housing, education, and support in various capacities. They work in three main areas:

All their kids attend public school (or have “access” to public school) but they typically have 10-15 students on their campus full time.

The Children’s Village reached out to us wanting to bring a therapy aspect to their programs with chickens and a sustainability garden.

“The chickens help residents develop a sense of insight and responsibility of taking care another animal and by extension, taking care of themselves.”

– Greg Lee, Social Worker

Chickens.org provided funds and resources to build their chicken coop and run. Greg says the kids are really loving the chickens, and their flock now gets pedicures on a regular basis (which the chickens are unusually excited about)! One of their residents also has taught her chicken to walk on a leash!

4. Love for Hope Ministry Chicken Coop and Garden

Kigali, Rwanda | Grant Award: $6,347

Love for Hope Ministry (LFH) is a faith-based organization in Rwanda, focused on rehabilitation, reintegration of street children and Kigali youth. They empower families so that they can raise children in a favorable environment that prevents them from taking to the streets. Through their work, they to support communities and find viable solutions to their problems, especially by teaching trades. Current trades include film making, tailoring, hairdressing, shoe making, crocheting, farming, catering, and now raising chickens! Chickens.org provided funding, resources and consultation for setting up their chicken program. Facilities are built and chickens should be arriving before Christmas. Garden is lovely!

The Rwandan government has been impressed with the chicken program at LFH that they would like to repeat it other places in the country!

5. The Corner Store Community Chicken Coop

Timor Leste, Cambodia | Grant Award: $620

With the help of solar driers and other equipment from Capax, Timor Leste’s Enny Gusmao preserves excess food purchased from farmers during the harvest seasons, and sells the nutritious food back to the community during the “hunger” seasons. 

Enny wanted to expand their food selection to include fresh eggs. She and her husband have started educating community members about raising chickens, so their eggs may become a nutritous source of protein at home. 

Upcoming Coops & Gardens Programs

Giles Middle School

La Marque, TX, USA 

Giles Middle School, located in La Marque, TX, Texas City ISD is 96% economically disadvantaged. Special Education teacher, Melissa Packard, took it upon herself to start a fruit orchard, garden, and to raise chickens at this school, to teach children real life farm to table skills. The town has nearly 19,000 people. Two elementary school campuses feed into Giles Middle School, and the middle school works closely with the high school campus, uniquely positioning them to serve all of the children in the town! Chickens.org is partnering with Giles Middle School in early 2024 to provide resources and fundraising assistance to set up a chicken coop at their school!

Academy for Integrated Arts

Kansas City, MO, USA 

Academy for Integrated Arts is a Title I public charter school in urban Kansas City, MO. In 2022 they raised chicks, and the kids couldn’t get enough of them. The fourth graders came up with coop designs, and faculty wished it was possible to keep the chickens at school. They are hoping to repeat the chick-rearing process but this time keep the chickens on the premises so the students can remain invested and see the whole cycle of raising chickens. Chickens.org is offering fundraising and setup assistance to make this dream a reality at their school in 2024!

Read more about chickens at AFIA here!

Other Projects

Chicken Visits

Chickens.org chickens bring a little joy everywhere they go, including schools and senior living facilities. 

These visits seek to improve mental health through animal therapy, and increase knowlege through Q&A sessions and predetermined activities about chickens. Our school groups get to see where eggs come from, and even had a chicken lay an egg in the middle of their class! Our senior friends share stories of chickens throughout their lives, and enjoy the theraputic benefits of being around chickens. 

In 2023, our chickens visited Sequoya Elementary School and The Terraces of Phoenix. 

If you are interested in having a chicken visit your facility, please contact us!