Adopting children from third world countries has become a trending exceedingly popular with celebrities, the likes of Madonna and Angelina Jolie. But what about elephants? Some are more in need of a home than you might think. And what if I told you, you didn't have to go all the way to Mali or South Africa to find one?
That's right The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee is the nation's largest habitat for needy elephants and this year, Grandma's Molasses has launched their "Adopt an Elephant" campaign to help provide for the care and support of these majestic creatures. With donations as low as $10 per person, anyone can become involved in providing a spacious and natural environment for retired elephants from circuses and zoos, allotting them the opportunity to spend their remaining years in loving care and peace.
Th Sanctuary currently cares for 14 Asian and African elephants - many of whom suffer from the physical and emotional trauma of a lifetime spent in captivity performing or living in isolation. According to G.A. Bradshaw, PH.D, "like people, elephants can also become victims of past traumas and exhibit symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."
Similar to the condition of the U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, "events or 'stressors' that underlie the development of PTSD include death, physical abuse, deprivation, torture, isolation, forced incarceration (captivity), and witnessing loss, death or threat of death to a love one - all elephants in captivity have experienced most, if not all, of these events," adds Bradshaw.
Since molasses in general has been known as a home remedy for mothers to sweeten the ill-tasting medicine for their children, it was a perfect fit for Grandma's Molasses to not only launch the elephant adoption campaign, but also to help the elephants take their required medication. Allowing elephants to stay healthy, since 2008, Grandma's Molasses has been used to entice elephants to take their medicine while concealing the taste with its flavorful sweetness.
It costs $133,000 for each elephant to receive all the care necessary for one year in the Sanctuary. With this 
program, donors can help assure the highest of quality care for each of the 14 elephants now residing at the The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.Through December, 2012, donors can make their donations for adoption here.
In this YouTube video, you get a glimpse of African elephants, Flora and Tange taking their dosages, with a spoonful of molasses to help the medicine go down.
At the $10 level donors will receive a certification of adoption, a subscription for one year to Trunklines, a free jar of Grandma's Molasses -- and an original recipe for Grandma's Elephant Bread created by Sprinkle Bakes, an online recipe blogger.
A donation is a great way to celebrate the upcoming holidays as you can donate in the name of one of your friends or loved ones as a gift as well -- allowing them the opportunity to provide one of the Sanctuary's elephants with a second chance at a good life. And if you have a difficult time in selecting which elephant to adopt, I'm partial to ex-circus performer, "Ronnie." Just a thought!
