Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Register for the Ohio Fair Trade Expo

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Join CRS Fair Trade Senior Program Advisor, Jacqueline DeCarlo, and Cecilia Appianim, a Fair Trade Cocoa Farmer producing for Divine Chocolate at the Ohio FAIR TRADE Expo!

On October 9, 2010, hundreds of Ohioans will gather at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, to further the fair trade consumer movement across the state.  The Ohio FAIR TRADE Expo will bring together students, faith community members, community leaders, and business owners who will learn about and become active in the international campaign for socially and environmentally responsible consumerism.

LEARN from speakers and workshops about socially and environmentally conscious consumerism and SHOP at a Fair Trade Marketplace with 15+ fair trade vendors selling fair trade clothing, artisan crafts, food, and drink products!

Speakers include:

Jackie DeCarlo CRS Fair Trade Senior Program Advisor and Author of “Fair Trade: A Beginner’s Guide”
Cecilia Appianim – Fair Trade Cocoa Farmer producing for Divine Chocolate in Ghana, Africa
Carmen Iezzi - Executive Director, Fair Trade Federation
Jeff GoldmanExecutive Director, Fair Trade Resource Network
Billy Linstead-Goldsmith - National Coordinator, Fair Trade Towns USA
Karen Hansen -Coordinator, Ohio Conference on Fair Trade
Lisa Dunn - Founder & Owner – Revive Fair Trade Clothing

Register by September 1st to receive a discount and a free Ohio Fair Trade gift bag! Early Registration ($2.00 off!) ends on September 1st!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER TODAY AT: www.ohiofairtrade.com

How Fair Trade Spreads

Friday, June 18th, 2010

The sale of Fair Trade certified products has been growing by double-digits for several years now. There are many reasons for that, and one is that Fair Traders spread the word and lend their efforts to economic justice. Fair Trade Ambassador of Michigan, Sue Amman, shares one example of success:

My family has been promoting Fair Trade in our parish, . St. Hubert’s in Higgins Lake for a few years. The parish uses Fair Trade coffee and we have had a few Divine chocolate sales and a Christmas Work of Human Hands crafts sale. We are also the Peace and Justice committee for our parish and have often reported our Fair Trade doings at the Vicariate Peace and Justice monthly meetings.

As a result of these meetings the Peace and Justice person from St. Mary’s in Grayling asked us to talk on Fair Trade to her Parish Council in April. With her council’s blessing, Barb had her first Fair Trade Coffee and chocolate sale after the Masses last weekend!

A smiling Barb with new Fair Traders


I wore my new ambassador’s shirt and went to lend moral support and take pictures. Barb was delighted at the turn out and the sales. St. Mary’s Pastor, Fr. James Bearss was around to lend support. He was joined by the Parish Council President, Jack Pilon (photo by Sue for CRS). Barb’s enthusiasm bubbled over and she began working on Fr. James and Jack to have a Fair Trade booth at the up-coming AuSable Canoe Marathon. The marathon, which is the longest canoe race in the United States, starts in Grayling and ends in Oscoda 120 miles later. Exactly what the Fair Trade booth would sell is up in the air. They may sell chocolate or they may partner with Higher Grounds Trading and sell brewed coffee. There may be an educational booth. Regardless of the final outcome the neat thing is Fair Trade is in the front of their minds.

Webcast: Peacebuilding in Sudan

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

A colleague from our Overseas Support Department just popped into my cubicle. “Do you have any spare chocolate we can give to the Sudanese bishops?” he asked. I was glad to have a tiny part in providing hospitality to this delegation from the Sudanese Catholic Church. The Bishops will be in the States until June 27 meeting with congregations and decision makers, sharing their unique perspective on the how the United States can help build a sustainable peace at a precarious time.

In 2005 Sudan ended 45 years of intermittent civil war between the central government and rebel forces with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Today key provisions of that agreement – including wealth sharing, citizenship, and the status of the transitional areas – remain unfulfilled, threatening the cease-fire. Presidential, parliamentary, and gubernatorial elections required by the peace agreement were boycotted by many opposition groups and widely seen as failing international standards.
 
Meanwhile, conflict continues in Sudan’s western Darfur region, where since 2003 a complex emergency has affected more than 4.7 million people, including nearly 2.7 million internally displaced persons. Last year levels of conflict in southern Sudan surpassed those in Darfur. In southern Sudan the number of people in need of food assistance has more than quadrupled, going from 1 million in 2009 to 4.3 million currently.

To hear directly from the Bishops and learn how peace is possible, on Wednesday, June 16, join the Catholics Confront Global Poverty Webcast. We Fair Traders can do more than provide treats to travelers. Please join us to get involved.

Just in Time: New Fair Trade Video

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Just in time for World Fair Trade Day, CRS is proud to release, Fair Trade: A Parish Story .  This video quickly but powerfully shares how St. Camillus parish in Silver Spring, MD is building solidarity through Fair Trade.  Click to watch
A Parish Story On You Tube

Right now is also a good time to take the Fair Trade My Home pledge.  Monday is the deadline for committing to support CRS partners and entering into a raffle to win Haitian art!

Students: a Call to Lead

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Spring break is over for most students, and it is time to turn attention back to channeling energy and skills for justice (to study, too, of course). CRS supports students, faculty, and campus ministers in promoting global solidarity on campus, and Fair Trade is often one of the most popular and satisfying ways to get involved.

Our allies at the United Students for Fair Trade are recruiting a new set of leaders, and we encourage you to consider if you might play a role in their growth.  USFT is a national network of student organizations advocating Fair Trade principles, products, and policies. They organize–we work to consolidate and coordinate the power of the over 150 active student Fair Trade organizations in the U.S.  They nurture leadership development and capacity-building, primarily through intensive international exchanges and skill-building conferences. They serve as a resource to student affiliates looking for anything from strategic campaigning advice to internship opportunities.

Photo courtesy of USFT

Here’s who they are looking for:

  • Rising Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior students (or high school seniors) interested in becoming Leaders in a world-wide economic justice and Fair Trade Movement
  • Students who want to work with businesses, non-profits, and awareness campaigns in their local communities and across the country.
  • Students who want to learn of the dysfunctions in our global trade system, and join a positive alternative with tremendous results for both producers and consumers.
  • Students who are excited, passionate, and curious!
  • A minimum commitment of 5 hours/week, with a pending stipend of up to $1,000 per semester.

If you want to be a part of USFT’s work, the deadline for self nominations is April 22.  (Happy Earth Day!)

Does Fair Trade Lift Growers Out of Poverty?

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

We wanted to share with you the thought-provoking article, “Does Fair Trade Coffee Lift Growers Out of Poverty or Simply Ease Our Guilty Conscience?”, by Jill Richardson. We like it not only because there’s mention of 3 CRS Fair Tradepartners, Just Coffee, Peace Coffee and Equal Exchange, but because it explores the nuances of the Fair Trade movement. Richardson reiterates what CRS Fair Trade has developed our program on- Fair Trade has the most impact on growers when it is combined with companies dedicated to its principles.  Not to spoil the ending, but Richardson concludes with the following:

“For a consumer, the choice is clear: buying Fair Trade is the way to go. However, consumers should be aware of the nuances within the Fair Trade market in order to make the most ethical choice (and hopefully enjoy some delicious coffee, too). First of all, make sure the coffee you buy is actually Fair Trade…

Also, buy from a company with a significant dedication to Fair Trade instead of one that sells only a token amount of its coffee as Fair Trade. … Companies committed to selling Fair Trade will be much more likely than those that sell only a token amount to actually subscribe to the Fair Trade values…”

Read the full article “Does Fair Trade Coffee Lift Growers Out of Poverty or Simply Ease

Our Guilty Conscience?” by Jill Richardson.

Interested in buying coffee from a fully-committed to Fair Trade coffee company? Check out the CRS Fair Trade coffee partners.

Photo credit: Michelle Frankfurter for CRS

Blizzard Doesn’t Stop Social Ministry Gathering

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Although the Washington, DC area was covered by about two feet of snow this weekend, hundreds gathered on Capitol Hill for the Social Ministry Gathering, which runs through Wednesday.  Thanks to our coffee partners Larry’s Beans, Equal Exchange, and Just Coffee, attendees will be enjoying Fair Trade coffee at CRS sponsored events.  Coffee from COCANO, a Haitian coffee cooperative supported by the CRS Fair Trade Fund, was also featured the first night of the conference.

Resource Order Page Down

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

The order page for CRS Fair Trade resources is currently down. We are in the process of fixing it, however in the meantime, please order your CRS Fair Trade materials by calling 1 (800) 222-0025. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Responding to the Massive Earthquake in Haiti

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

It was with a mixture of sorrow and pride that I heard William Canny, Catholic Relief Services Director of Emergency Operations, speak on NPR early this morning about CRS’s immediate response to the latest tragedy to hit Haiti.  I know Bill just a bit from his time as Country Rep for Haiti, when the Fair Trade Fund made grants to support coffee farmers.  It was no surprise to me that CRS had sprung into action immediately after yet another devastating natural disaster hit Haiti.  I am regularly inspired and impressed by CRS staff and partners who respond to emergencies with efficiency, effectiveness, and a spirit of solidarity.

While we may be stunned to think of the people of Haiti suffering again, please know that CRS is doing our best to alleviate suffering and provide assistance.  To support our efforts, visit the Catholic Relief Services website and donate what you can

Photo credit: David Snyder/CRS

Holiday Motivations from St. Theresa of Lisieux

Friday, December 4th, 2009

The Advent season is here. While we strive to make it a time to prepare prayerfully, shop responsibly, and give generously, there is no denying that the Christmas holidays can bring stresses and even temptations.  To help you act on the values you really hold dear, we share this post from one of our biggest CRS Fair Trade fans, Elizabeth Cole of Austin, Texas.

“As St. Theresa of Lisieux said, it’s the baby steps…….

You think Christmas is overwhelming? Every year I have a friend who declares  “I HATE Halloween!”  She hates the excess but mostly she hates that Fair Trade chocolate is not the norm in this country.  Somehow it doesn’t bother me as much, but propels me into action: scheming and dreaming about ways to get more people to become aware of the inequities of the cocoa buying practices of some large corporations.  I know that large scale change may seem to be eons away but it’s such a worthy challenge because of cocoa farmers like Comfort Kumeah, who I have been honored to get to know. Knowing that Fair Trade assists Comfort motivates me all year long.

My propulsion forward is born of the realization that the work we do now may insure that the next generation of American chocolate lovers will DEMAND Fair Trade cocoa for ALL of their chocolate products!  And the fact that Cadbury’s in England has committed to buying all Fair Trade certified cocoa beans for their milk chocolate products confirms my optimism.

At Halloween, folks say that they can’t buy Fair Trade chocolate to give to the little goblins who visit them because it’s too expensive.  Another friend reports that she buys at least 20 pounds of chocolate and that it would be too prohibitive.  My question to her is WHY do you buy so much chocolate?

Why not turn off the porch light after running out of treats? Why do we have to be swayed by the American way of excess?  Isn’t this the year instead to figure out how to give reasonably?    Yes, the neighbors may think that you’ve descended into financial ruin or that you’re a bah humbug (speaking of Christmas coming) but couldn’t you be the beacon of simplification sanity for the hood?

“Okay,” you say “I can try to make the holidays different, but what do I do instead of shopping?”  What about a letter writing party?  How about sending a note to your pastor asking him to increase your parish commitment to Fair Trade coffee after masses? Why not get the children in your life to start a petition drive at school to Raise Money Right?  How about convening a family meeting and consider the promise to only buy Fair Trade gifts this next year?  Or it could be as simple as committing to only buying Fair Trade coffee for a year?

Earlier this year, my 14 year old and I caught part of an Oprah show about the abused women in Congo.  It was stated that ¾ of the women there have been abused.  That is 75% of the female population!  As I sat with my tears, my son said he was inspired by the people who saw a previous show and did something.  About the woman who chose to write a letter, and how that grew into a fundraising marathon.  And how that grew into thousands of women receiving financial aid and personal letters (and feeling connected to the others in the world).  He tied it to what the priest had said that morning at mass about St. Theresa, “Mom, we just have to do little things and they will add up.”  I translate that into “do what’s in front of you.”

So here we are at the start of the holiday season and these are the little actions YOU can take.

For today: take a step.  A baby step.  Commit to some research.  Learn about the needs of your brothers and sisters overseas.  The CRS Fair Trade site can help you learn more about Fair Trade as a way of confronting poverty.     Once you understand how Fair Trade relates to your faith, figure out which Fair Trade product you’ll commit to and just buy Fair Trade in that category.

And don’t forget to thank St. Theresa of Lisieux for reaching through the ages and inspiring you to move.”

Elizabeth first met Comfort as part of a CRS delegation

Elizabeth first met Comfort as part of a CRS delegation to Ghana. Photo credit: CRS.