shi SUPPORTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
wayne westerman
DONOR
You don't have to be a genius to see the value of SHI's work, but it doesn't hurt. A degree in technology led Wayne Westerman to start a company to develop touch-screen technology, which paved the way for iPods, iPhones and all the smart technology that has come after.
One day, Wayne’s online search for environmental organizations landed him on SHI's webpage. After looking through our website, he decided to donate.
Growing up, Wayne had spent every summer working shoulder-to-shoulder with his father, a high school chemistry and physics teacher, on their family farm in Missouri. His childhood background and online search led him to join SHI’s Sustainers.
Wayne first donated to SHI in 2006 and has donated every year since, getting matching donations from his employer, Apple, most of those years.
Wayne Westerman grinding cacao for chocolate on a traditional Mayan metate while on a trip to visit SHI’s programs in the Toledo district of Belize in 2008.
“The practicality of SHI spoke to me. SHI is structured as more of a teaching organization. SHI teaches people how to be good stewards of the land, and this knowledge improves their living standard.”
Wayne participating in a reforestation activity in Belize in 2008.
In 2008, Wayne decided to see the impact of his donations firsthand and took a trip to Belize with SHI. He still fondly remembers the wildlife and activities, including tree planting and building raised garden beds.
“SHI is a very cost-effective, well-leveraged way to help people and their families simultaneously, and the environment all at once. It’s a win-win.”
