CRS Fair Trade News

Priest and Economist Helps Parish Strengthen Immigration Ministry

Jackie — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:59:19 +0000

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I’m full of gratitude for CRS Fair Trade colleagues around the country sharing messages of Fair Trade as a tool of economic justice. From our Southwest office, for instance, Fr. Juan Molina was recently at St. Patrick parish in Colorado Springs, Colorado working to promote the role Fair Trade can play in social ministry. Fr. Juan has his PhD in economics, so he brings a unique dual perspective to making the case for Fair Trade.

Bob Sallee of St. Patrick’s reports that Fr. Juan had several opportunities to share about the impact of Fair Trade, thanks to the work of several members of the St. Patrick community. Ann Christensen, Chair of the parish Social Ministry Council and a member of the diocesan Social Concerns and Public Policy Committee, made arrangements for Father Molina to offer weekend Masses and to present a “parish mission” which connected the dynamics of migration to the lack of economic opportunity in migrants’ home countries, a dynamic which can be changed by embracing Fair Trade. The Council, which includes representatives of more than a dozen outreach ministries, has focused on educating the parish on the seven themes of social justice put forth by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. As a direct result of a parish mission on immigration two years ago, the parish recruited and trained English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, and began offering regular classes. A Justice for Immigrants committee also was established to aid with informing the parish on immigration issues and coordinating outreach to local immigrant populations.

For Fr. Juan, the lessons of the Fair Trade Program have made clear that Fair Trade can reduce the need for young people to migrate to support their families, contributing to the reduction of illegal immigration. He noted that there are 25 million small family farms growing coffee representing 100 million people. Fair trade provides economic opportunity, allowing people to take care of the essentials of life–food, shelter, clothing, health care, education– in their home countries. This financial grounding can lessen the “push” people feel to find opportunity outside their communities. The complexities of migration, both forced and voluntary, are a top priority for CRS globally.

Back at St. Patrick’s church, volunteer Julie Harmon has coordinated a Fair Trade Ministry focused on parish education, much of which takes place during various Fair Trade sales at the church. Annually, the parish hosts a pre-Christmas Bazaar offering a wide variety of craft items from the Work of Human Hands catalog, and also Divine Chocolate and coffee from CRS partner Earth Friendly Coffee. Coffee and chocolate are also offered on a monthly basis, and are available for sale from the church office during the week. The success of the program is evident from the large percentage of “repeat customers” who value the quality of these specialty food items. Parishioner Ann Christensen explained that the parish provided a $1,000 grant for the initial purchase of coffee and chocolate products to jump-start the ministry.

This kind of initiative and commitment is another reason for the economic justice team at CRS to be thankful! Working alongside our partners, we offer a range of Fair Trade projects but, as Fr. Juan said, “It is the parishioners around the country that make a difference….It’s the people of God who make a difference” when they commit to Fair Trade.

Fair Trade Advent Calendars Offer More than Chocolate

kcantrel — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:14:39 +0000

We haven’t even made it past Thanksgiving yet, but this week I walked into a convenience store and heard it- my first Christmas song of the season. For a moment, I felt dread. Thinking of Christmas songs in every store, red and green flashing lights, non-stop commercials. This is not the way I want to pass the days to Christmas.

Thankfully, Advent is just around the corner to help us focus our minds and hearts and truly prepare ourselves for Christmas. Advent calendars have served as a way to take a moment every day to remember the coming of Christ, and also what Christ brought us- the principles and values to live by. I admit that as a kid I was more excited about the chocolate behind each little door on the Advent calendar than reflecting on the values in my life. These days, I’m still excited about the chocolate in the Advent calendar, but that’s because it’s now Fair Trade Chocolate.

Divine Chocolate has once again produced a Fair Trade chocolate Advent calendar. It’s the perfect way to reflect on the principles of our faith and to live them at the same time. With each bit of Divine chocolate you eat, you know that the farmers who grew the cocoa earned a fair wage and have a say in how the company and their lives are run. Fair Trade is truly helping people around the world live their lives in dignity. It may sound simple, but opening the little door on an Advent calendar to reveal a morsel of fair trade chocolate is one small way of living our faith and respecting the dignity of human life. To me, this is a pretty good start

The Divine Chocolate Advent Calendar is available now on the CRS Chocolate web store, through the Work of Human Hands program, or by calling (888) 294-9665.

Fair Trade Saints in the Making

Jackie — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:21:55 +0000

This recent “All Hallows Eve” 25 youth and youth ministers from the Orlando, Florida Diocese passed up a “normal” Halloween to participate in the first ever Youth Ministry Fair Trade Weekend. Guest blogger and CRS Fair Trade Ambassador Stephanie Bosse shares her reflections:

“The service retreat was put together by Prince of Peace Youth Minister Mike Buckler with support from me and Catholic Relief Services Southeast Program Officer Simone Blanchard. We entitled the experience, “Just Like You.” The mission of our time together was to teach the group how to be, from the words of the Matt Maher song, “Holy, just like Christ,” and advocates of the poor as He has asked us to be.

The group made a 6-plus hour drive from the coast of Florida to Americus, Georgia, home to CRS Fair Trade coffee partner Cafe Campesino, the famous Habitat for Humanity, and Koinonia, birthplace of the “Cotton Patch Gospels.” Staying at the intentional community of Koinonia was a real solidarity experience. The people there live in some ways much like the farmers in Fair Trade cooperatives. They are a people committed to sharing resources and wealth to create a lifestyle that is good for all. We got a glimpse of this experience with simple accommodations, some of us even slept on the chapel pews. We realized, though, that the people of Koinonia live simply out of choice, while those of Fair Trade cooperatives do this out of necessity.

Saturday morning was spent working at the most tedious of jobs possible: picking up sticks and pulling out pecans from hiding spaces in gullies. The machinery at Koinonia cannot pick up the pecans until all errant limbs have been cleared from the rows. The machinery also is incapable of getting the ripened pecans out of the long gullies on the land so they must be gathered by hand.

It was good work, boring work, reflective work and a visit with the staff of the local Fair Trade company, Cafe Campesino pulled together how our labor allowed us to stand in solidarity with coffee growers around the world. CEO Tripp Pomeroy helped us process our day by asking about how work that day had been for us. Was it tedious? Was it long, boring, monotonous? Then Tripp asked, did you do it for 12 hours? Sunup to sundown? Did you do the work on a steep incline high up in the mountains? Did you have to pick which sticks were ripe and which were not? Comparing our conditions to those of coffee farmers in mountain highlands definitely put our work, and our blessings, into proper perspective.

At one point during Tripp’s talk, youth minister Mike Buckler was struck by new understanding for Fair Trade. Mike asked all of us, “Do you understand what power you have? That just by purchasing Fair Trade coffee alone, you have the power to make real change? YOU have the POWER to save lives…” By choosing to purchase organically grown, Fair Trade coffee, WE have the POWER to answer Christ’s question of Peter, to love Christ as he asked the rock of our church…to feed his sheep!

After the coffee house, we returned to Koinonia for a heavy and dramatic conclusion to our day, watching the movie “Romero.” Seeing the struggle of the poor first hand, the struggle of people to gain democracy, and even the struggle of the Archbishop himself prompted the kids to ask, “Why did it take the Archbishop so long to change, so long to ‘get it’?” In that moment the weekend came full circle: It did take Archbishop Oscar Romero a long time to SEE, to answer his own calling; and the same can be said for each of us as followers of Christ. We often come to the simplest changes slowly.

What I personally gathered from the weekend more than anything was a thought on value. Fair Trade asks us to give value to people: to value their work, to value their dignity and simply, to assign the proper value, economically, to their labor. What struck me was our own personal value: that upon our birth we had already been given from Christ a unique and changeless value, a worth more than gold and rubies and our value is Heaven. So often in the Gospels Christ told us: the last shall be first, the rich man will have a hard time making it into heaven, feed my sheep, what you do for the least you do for me. For me, Fair Trade is a commitment to the value He has given us all. It is like one small ticket on the train to heaven.

The weekend wrapped up with the re-commitment to our baptismal promises and a talk from Simone on ‘where we go from here,’ so that we can become advocates in our daily lives. After a Spirit-filled commission service, the kids were off with new awareness in their lives, with the commitment to teach others how they too can be CRS Fair Traders. I believe All Saints Day lived up to its name. Both youth and adults in our group transformed through experiencing life on the land, reflecting on the path of Saints, and acknowledging how they are “just like” farmers and artisans around the world. Surely, they are saints in the making.”

Retreat participants sang songs as well as picked pecans!

Two New Jobs at Two Great Fair Trade Organizations

Jackie — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:08:52 +0000

It is good to see that despite the troubling economy, two Fair Trade leaders in the United States are hiring. If you are looking for meaningful work in the movement check out these announcements:

Executive Director for the Fair Trade Resource Network

The Fair Trade Resource Network is seeking a full-time executive director to conceptualize, energize, secure support for and carry out Fair Trade education campaigns in the U.S. and abroad. Salary, benefits and office location are negotiable. The FTRN Executive Director is responsible for all aspects of leading a small non-profit organization devoted to advancing fair trade. S/he will envision, fundraise, plan, manage and promote all of the organizations programs. S/he reports directly to the FTRN Board Chairperson and will work closely with an active board of directors.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate is a social entrepreneur who is: A passionate, visionary spokesperson for Fair Trade education, with a strong grasp on the complexities of Fair Trade and global trade issues, a compatible personal values system, and the ability to communicate fair trade messages powerfully in writing and speaking to the public and other stakeholders. A strong fundraiser who enjoys connecting with potential funders and donors, able to make in person fund raising solicitations, get people excited about Fair Trade education, and secure contributions; able to develop fundraising strategies with the board and support the board in fund raising activities; and able to develop and monitor strategies for ensuring the long-term financial viability of FTRN. Grant writing and reporting abilities are required. An established networker in Fair Trade, ready to network in the U.S. and abroad with other Fair Trade and Alternative Trade organizations in a collaborative, coalition building format. An enthusiastic team player able to work with board and staff to conceptualize and implement new projects and programs. Program development and project/staff management experience must be demonstrated. An effective manager able to oversee and streamline (but not perform) low-level administrative work, by contracting out services, and managing staff and volunteers; able to attract and energize volunteers and interns to help execute projects and/or administrative work and maintain a supportive work environment that reflects FTRN’s organizational values.A prudent financial steward who can develop annual budgets that support FTRN’s operating plans and manage FTRN’s resources within those budget guidelines. A persuasive communicator with media networking, outreach and PR skills; able to conceptualize strong and effective long term communications outreach strategies that will gain attention for fair trade. A computer-savvy person familiar with web-based communications technologies (or eager to learn them), capable of basic web site content management (not programming or design but such tasks as posting news and other new content), managing e-newsletters, email lists and other online communications. A person ideally located in or near a major metropolitan area for easier access to foundations, conferences, volunteers, partners, and media.

Compensation: $40,000-$50,000 annual salary, health insurance, 2 weeks paid vacation. Start date: January 1, 2009. For more information contact work@ftrn.org:

Membership Coordinator for the Fair Trade Federation

The Fair Trade Federation is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. The Federation is part of the global fair trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty. As the Federation rapidly grows and changes, a membership coordinator is needed to work in our small office. Candidates will have the opportunity to build and shape systems and programs for the Federation and support its efforts to strengthen and promote fully committed Fair Trade Organizations.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in business, non-profit management, international relations, sustainable development, or related fields

Demonstrated excellence and professionalism in oral and written communication

Demonstrated excellence and professionalism in managing many projects simultaneously, particularly those including multiple pieces of information

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with individuals from a diverse array of backgrounds

Commitment to the Federation’s values and to creating a just and sustainable economic system

Spanish language skills strongly preferred

Experience in a business environment preferred

Experience with a Fair Trade Organization preferred

Salary: $25-30,000; basic health care coverage provided

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, a brief writing sample (5 pages maximum), and at least 3 points of reference to Carmen K. Iezzi, Executive Director, Fair Trade Federation, 3025 Fourth Street, NE, Suite 107, Washington DC 20016, email to info@FairTradeFedeation.org, or fax to 202-636-3549. No calls, please. Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Nicaraguan Faces of CRS Fair Trade

Jackie — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:14:35 +0000

The theme of Fair Trade month has been “Faces of Fair Trade,” and Katy and I wanted to use this occasion to share with you a face-to-face visit we had with two coffee farmers in Nicaragua last year. Juanita Villareyna and Rosa Jimenez are members of La Fem, a women’s cooperative in Esteli, Nicaragua that sells to CRS Fair Trade partner, Just Coffee. Thanks to their partnership with CRS-Nicaragua, they and some 5,400 other farmers in dozens of municipalities around Nicaragua are participating in the ACORDAR (Alliance to Create Opportunities for Rural Development through Agroenterprise Relationships) project. In this video clip, Juana explains how access to technical know-how and agricultural equipment will help La Fem participate in specialty export markets.

Rosa also explains why the women of La Fem embrace organic farming and, as Catholic Social Teaching would call it “stewardship of God’s creation.” Off camera Rosa had mentioned organics as important to the health of her four children, and in this interview Rosa explains how she sees herself doing her part to protect the planet. Click and listen for yourself!

Responsible Shopping during Festive Times

Jackie — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:25:36 +0000

Fair Trade month brought a lot of attention to responsible gift giving at the holidays and shopping all year long. The Catholic Spirit in New Jersey recently featured how a variety of communities and groups in Metuchen promote Fair Trade and are using it as an intentional way to promote solidarity when budgets are being tightened this year.

Our own Catholic Relief Services newsletter also featured a story called “Fair Trade Gifts for the Holiday Season” to help us get ready for gift giving at Christmas time. We’ve printed that story below, in case you missed it!

“Better pricing for our baskets has helped us send our children to school. Before, we had to weave all night to pay school fees.” These are the words of Teni Ayamga, a basket weaver from Ghana whose children are able to go to school thanks to fair trade.

A weaver from Trade Aid in Ghana creates a Bolgatanga basket. Photo by Serena Sato/SERRV

Teni is the beneficiary of a trade model that guarantees fair wages to disadvantaged artisans, farmers and workers around the world while providing socially conscious consumers in the United States a way to shop responsibly. By purchasing fair trade products, consumers promote fair wages for impoverished workers in developing countries, and fair trade helps these small-scale farmers and artisans to survive in a very competitive international market.

“Before Trade Aid [a fair trade organization in Ghana], I had to sell in the market and didn’t consider the cost of my skill and the materials. I sold too low. With Trade Aid, I learned to consider the raw materials and workmanship, and I sell my baskets for double,” says Anyopoka Apana, who also earns a living as a basket weaver.

Teni’s and Anyopoka’s baskets are part of a large selection of gift items available through Catholic Relief Services’ Fair Trade program, which also includes coffee, chocolate, specialty food items and other handcrafts. The items were put together by 90 small producer groups and artisans in more than 36 countries throughout the world, and are now available.

CRS has also partnered with 16 coffee companies throughout the United States that are committed to the principles of fair trade. They offer a variety of quality roasts, and with every purchase designated to support CRS, consumers are contributing a percentage to CRS’ Fair Trade Fund, which benefits fair trade organizations in the United States and abroad.

In Madagascar, for example, a CRS grant was used to train Malagasy artisans in product design. Sharing their own skills and learning about product trends—such as a growing interest in recycled materials in the American market—prepared them to more effectively export their products. One of their most popular items, a schoolbag made from recycled denim, has recently been added to CRS’ handcrafts selection. In the United States CRS promotes the bag as a way for students to learn the importance of reusing materials and to learn about the country of Madagascar.
Bolgatanga baskets.

“The bag is an easy way to build understanding about the power of fair trade,” says Jacqueline DeCarlo, program manager for CRS Fair Trade. “The message of recycling materials to protect the planet while promoting opportunities for artisans really resonates with young people.”

For many Catholics, the principles of fair trade closely reflect their values, and the Catholic market for fairly traded goods has seen double-digit growth in recent years. The commitment of Catholics in this country to pay a fair price for the products they enjoy, and to introduce fair trade to their parishes, helps CRS’ long-term efforts of promoting economic justice around the world.

“Fair trade is a very tangible way of supporting farmers and artisans by investing our money in communities that promote opportunity,” DeCarlo says. Last year, more than 130 Catholic dioceses held fair trade sales, selling crafts, coffee and chocolate in their parishes. With their help, CRS’ fair trade sales jumped to $2 million in 2007, a 53 percent increase over the previous year.

Both the fair trade online and printed catalog are filled with an extraordinary selection of fine jewelry, kitchen and tableware, household items, gift baskets, games, accessories, and holiday decorations. By purchasing these fair trade items, everyone wins: consumers get high-quality one-of-a-kind handcrafts and the people who created them get hope for a better future for themselves and their families.

written by Kim Pozniak, a communications officer for CRS based in Baltimore, MD.

Fair Trade Sports and RESPECT

Jackie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:16:52 +0000

Colleagues in the 4th floor cubicles around the Catholic Relief Services-Baltimore office know that I ran the Marine Corps Marathon this past Sunday, by virtue of the fact that I am groaning from the pain in my quads every time I stand up! Since athletics are on my brain these days, I thought I’d share a guest blog I recently wrote for our friends at Fair Trade Sports. CRS Fair Trade is exploring how we might link to the company’s efforts to honor the dignity of human work and promote stewardship of God’s creation through youth programming. We welcome your ideas in the comment section below!

A couple years back Ted Miles of our Youth team joined CRS Fair Traders in playing around with a Fair Trade Sports ball

Guest Blog: How Fair Traders Can Be Faithful Citizens

Jackie — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:26:25 +0000

As Fair Trade month nears its close, our thoughts turn to U.S. elections. We asked Tina Rodousakis of the CRS Advocacy team to help us understand our roles as faithful citizens. Many thanks to Tina for the following guest blog posting:

“It’s hard to believe but the presidential and congressional elections are only two weeks away. By now, can you imagine opening the newspaper or watching television without seeing the latest claims and counterclaims by various political candidates? It feels like we’ve been inundated with political advertisements and slogans - especially those of us who live in those famous “swing” states.

But, of course, who will govern our country from the Oval Office as well as from congressional offices on Capitol Hill is critically important. We hope you are registered to vote and will do so on November 4^th. As Fair Traders, we should have a particular interest in the elections given our awareness of how our decisions can make a real, positive difference in the world. Beyond our consumer activism, engagement in the political process and advocacy on public policy issues can bring about real change for our sister and brothers overseas.

In preparation for these elections, the U.S. Catholic Bishops have issued “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship“ - a statement that outlines Catholic teaching on political life. In their statement the Bishops emphasize that: “In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.”

One of the issues the Bishops raise as a serious moral concern “that challenge our consciences and require us to act” is hunger. Those of us involved in the Fair Trade movement know that hunger is one of those issues that we can address by purchasing products that give poor people a chance to earn a fair wage that in turn will allow them to feed themselves and their families.

But the current global food crisis that is affecting millions of people here at home and overseas is threatening to undermine the progress that has been made to lift people out of poverty. The most damaging impact of the global food crisis is on the poorest people, who spend a far higher proportion of their income on food. Those who are struggling to pay for food will eat less or cheaper food with less nutritional value. Even the middle class in many developing nations will have to sell their assets to pay for food.

The causes of the current global food crisis are many and complex. An increasing demand for food and energy at a time of low food stocks, poor harvests and weak credit have led to record prices for food. Also, some subsidies given to farmers in the United States, European Union (EU) and Japan distort the local and global marketplace and have fueled the global food crisis. Each year, the U.S., EU and Japan provide billions of dollars in subsidies to producers of certain agricultural products. In the U.S., 70 percent of these payments go to a small number of producers, with smaller-scale farm and ranch operations in the U.S. at a disadvantage. U.S. subsidies for biofuel production have also pushed up food prices.

Learn more about global hunger and how you can assess this issue as part of your decision-making process for the upcoming election. Become a CRS Advocate for ongoing information about how you can advocate for issues that affect poor peoples’ lives year-round. And, certainly, don’t forget to vote on November 4!”

: This cocoa farmer in Ghana exercises her right to vote in Kuapa Kokoo's elections.

Overcoming Gender Violence in Rwanda

kcantrel — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:26:15 +0000

Those of you familiar with CRS Fair Trade coffee partner Dean Cycon of Dean’s Beans won’t be surprised be this latest article from him in the Corporate Responsibility Newswire. On a recent visit to Rwanda, Dean helped provide a training to overcome gender-based violence to coffee farmers of the cooperative, COOPAC. As Dean says in the article, “…we believe that the quality of the coffee is a reflection of the quality of life of our farmer partners, and the health and strength of their community is integral to our success. I live for this kind of work.”

Double the October Celebrations: Fair Trade and Hispanic Heritage

Jackie — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:58:38 +0000

All our loyal blog readers know that October is Fair Trade month, but did you realize that September 15 to October 15 is also Hispanic Heritage month? Now is the perfect time to check out the Spanish language resources CRS has at crsespanol.org. The site is filled with examples of how CRS is assisting the poor and vulnerable overseas.

Fair Trade is a global movement, impacting communities in Africa, Asia and the US. But during the special month, let’s double our celebrations by learning about coffee from Latin American origins and beautiful Fair Trade crafts from Mexico, Central and South America!

Become a fan of CRS Fair Trade to celebrate FT month

Jackie — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:34:56 +0000

In an unfortunate twist of calendar fate, the first day of Fair Trade month is also the first day of the Catholic Relief Services fiscal year. Yesterday Katy and I were scurrying around with several “get a fresh start on all the good work we are going to do” activities, and the arrival of Fair Trade month just whizzed by.

We are back on track now and want to let everybody know that, in addition to publishing our Fair Trade Handbook, which you can now order directly on-line, we also have a new presence on Facebook. Check out our Fan page and see some photos of CRS’s work in Nicaragua and a video from time in Ghana. You don’t have to be a member of Facebook to check out the resources on our page, contribute to discussions, or otherwise spread the word about Fair Trade.

Whether in person, on the web or in print, CRS Fair Trade is trying to get you the resources you need to learn and act this month and all year long. Please join us!

It is Time to Host a Work of Human Hands Craft Sale

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:08:10 +0000

Autumn has officially begun, and with it come preparations for the holiday season. This year, through Work of Human Hands, purchasing ethical gifts for your loved ones is easier than ever. In response to your feedback, a catalog specifically for consignment sales is now available. The Work of Human Hands consignment catalog contains all the handcrafts available for your sale, as well as a step-by-step guide to hosting a sale and cut out stories from producer’s overseas to decorate your sale and educate shoppers.

In addition to the Work of Human Hands consignment catalog, the regular catalog for Work of Human Hands is still available and contains hundreds of handcrafts not available on consignment. This is a great complimentary catalog to have available at your sale for Work of Human Hands supporters to take away with them and do their shopping at home.

As Kevin Olin, a CRS Fair Trade Ambassador and sale host in Apple Valley, California, puts it, “Who would have guessed that promoting global solidarity, fighting poverty and doing justice could all start with a cup of delicious coffee or the purchase of a beautiful gift?”

To order either catalog from Work of Human Hands please call 1.800.685.7572 or visit www.crsfairtrade.org.

Fair Trade Pioneer Renews Work to Eradicate Poverty

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:01:08 +0000

For 13 years, Catholic Relief Services and SERRV have worked together through a shared commitment to serve the poor overseas. We offer Catholics a way to live their faith by supporting economic justice through the decisions they make as consumers, and SERRV helps artisans gain access to the U.S. market. SERRV is evolving in some new ways that you will see in the Work of Human Hands catalogs.

Marsha Hoover, Chair of SERRV’s Board of Directors, provides background:

SERRV is known the world over for leadership in advancing the principles of Fair Trade to eradicate poverty and create opportunity for people to feed and educate themselves and their children, create sustainable communities, and quite simply, to survive. …Over the past year, the Board and staff of SERRV stepped back to examine, with the help of some highly talented experts, what the organization stands for and how to better explain this. We learned that the core values which have guided the mission for six decades are as powerful, and the SERRV formula for addressing poverty as potent, as ever. … This fall, we have initiated our efforts to change how we explain ourselves, our artisan partners, our mission, and our impact on the world in a redesigned catalog layout and in the phase-out of the A Greater Gift identity. We are infusing SERRV with new meaning as we eradicate poverty in all its forms.

CRS Fair Trade congratulates SERRV on this new approach and is excited to continue working toward our shared goal of economic justice.

CRS Fair Trade Recycles

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:21:14 +0000

A key Fair Trade principle is engaging in environmentally sustainable practices, and with Fair Trade month on the horizon we thought we’d celebrate how the CRS Fair Trade program recycles! Twice a year the Fair Trade Fund transforms financial resources made possible by you into movement building grants! Every time a person, a parish, a school or a diocese makes a purchase from the CRS Fair Trade partner network, a significant contribution is made to the Fair Trade Fund. The Economic Justice program at CRS then recycles those contributions into grants by providing financial support to Fair Traders. This year we recycled about $89,000 in grant awards!

Through our country programs overseas and our network of Fair Trade partners, we help producers in the field access the Fair Trade marketplace. Some past grants have included supporting trainings of artisans, sponsoring activities that improve coffee quality, and building the capacity of producer groups. Here in the United States we make grants to advocates who are working to build the Fair Trade marketplace. Some of our U.S. recipients, such as the Just Peace group of Manhattan College and the Chicago Fair Trade coalition, are using fund resources to galvanize their communities for Fair Trade month and beyond.

Here are some projects our Fair Trade Fund compost—if you will—is fertilizing:

• Centro Mujeres de la Esperanza in El Paso, Texas will receive $14,000 to support its Fair Trade education and outreach efforts. The center seeks to build its capacity to serve as a hub of Fair Trade participation. The Diocese of El Paso recently declared itself a Fair Trade Diocese.

• Providence Coffee in Minnesota received support for a pilot effort to provide Fair Trade hot chocolate at high school stadium events to raise awareness and educate on Fair Trade issues.

• The Fund committee allocated $10,000 in support of the United Students for Fair Trade convergence, to be held in Seattle, November 7-10, 2009. In addition to serving as an “organizer sponsor” CRS Fair Trade will provide up to 12 scholarships to college students who wish to attend this skill building event.

Natalie Terry of John Carroll University promotes Fair Trade flowers

Once Fair Trade month is over, the gift giving season approaches. Consider some environmental stewardship of your own in the form of reducing consumption. Instead of buying a Christmas gift, you can make a direct contribution to the Fund in honor of a special person. You’ll be able to recycle at gift giving time, and the recipient will know that she or he is helping to promote human dignity through Fair Trade!

New Resource Ready for Fair Trade Month

Jackie — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:19:17 +0000

The apostle Paul once referred to a community’s “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Those are sentiments I can relate to as I look at the newly printed CRS Fair Trade Handbook, sitting on my desk three years after it was conceived! The vision for a resource that would provide U.S. Catholics a firm grounding in how Fair Trade relates to Catholic Social Thought was initiated by my colleague Michael Sheridan, at a time when the CRS Fair Trade program was just beginning to build momentum in advance of the Raise Money Right chocolate project joining Work of Human Hands crafts and Fair Trade coffee as a way for Catholics to act in solidarity with the poor overseas. Back in 2005, more and more advocates such as Allis Druffel in California shared with us the need for an overview of the principles and history of Fair Trade as well as tools for making Fair Trade commitments.

Joined by our regional colleagues–Simone Blanchard, Fr. Juan Molina, Sr. Arlene Flaherty, Nora Collins, and Mari Barboza–the economic justice team embarked on a process of drafting and revising, drafting and revising. We even brought in a consultant, Cecile Sorra, to help us get the best feedback possible from both theological and editorial perspectives. After all this, we think we’ve come up with a document that is in-depth and easy-to-use, inspiring and practical, attractive and appealing. The attractive part came from our CRS graphic services team, notably Bryan Prindiville, who laid out a wonderful 32-page handbook based on the guidance of CRS editorial gurus Ellen Gortler and Susan Walters. Clearly, there were lots of people involved in making one handbook happen. And there are more! Our partners at SERRV helped us obtain handmade folders from Get Paper Industries in Nepal to carry the handbook and other CRS Fair Trade resources.

Now, as Fair Trade month approaches, Katy Cantrell and I look at the handbook and wonder, “After all this, will the handbook help US Catholics promote economic justice?” “Does a representation of the conventional coffee value chain compared to the Fair Trade chain make clear how important cooperatives are to investing in communities?” “Does the chart putting ‘free’ or conventional trade side-by-side with Fair Trade prompt readers to question how consumer choices promote corporate social responsibility?” “Will a history including the role of faith in the Fair Trade movement inspire others to take their place among Fair Trade pioneers?” “Will the stories of Kuapa Kokoo and other producers illustrate how Fair Trade uplifts human dignity?”

With the October release of the handbook just a few weeks away, we’ll soon find out if our labor of love does any good! You can help us by letting us know now if you’d like a copy. Yes, beginning in October you’ll be able to order it, along with all our other resources, directly from this website. But if you want to get a head start on your Fair Trade month preparations send us your advance order with your mailing address. The handbooks are free but in the spirit of good stewardship, we are only sending one copy per person. However, we will be posting chapter summaries on the website so if you like the material you can download it and make your own copies (on recycled paper of course!). Also, once you’ve read the handbook, use the comment section of the blog to let us know what you think! And, to all of you who we’ve been promising the handbook to for three years, thanks for your patience!

Prepping for Fair Trade Month: New learning resources

Jackie — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:36:00 +0000

This month means “back to school” for many Fair Traders and is also crunch time to prepare for Fair Trade month in October. Faith based groups such as CRS are fortunate to have an array of allies who helped form the foundation of Fair Trade. Two of the largest Fair Trade organizations in the United States—Ten Thousand Villages and SERRV—have their roots in the Mennonite Central Committee and Church of the Brethren, respectively. More recently, Catholic institutions have bolstered the Fair Trade system in varied ways at home and abroad. In the highlands of western Guatemala, for example, the Catholic church was instrumental in establishing the APECAFORM cooperative, which sells its coffee to some of the companies that participate in the CRS Fair Trade Coffee project. In addition, the Adrian Dominican Sisters were among the first investors to provide financial support for the pioneering work of Root Capital, which provides low-interest loans to Fair Trade producers around the world.

Such “Fair Finance” is the theme of a new set of learning resources for church communities produced by Oikocredit, whose roots are in the World Council of Churches. With suggestions for supplementing liturgy, sermon talking points, a multi-lingual DVD, and promotional materials including cartoons and stickers, Oikocredit provides inspiring and entertaining insights into the role that fair financing plays in Fair Trade. The materials explore how low-interest loans and pre-payment of orders help associations invest in the equipment and materials they need to hand-craft and hand-harvest Fair Trade products we bring into our hearts and homes. To receive a free packet of materials for use by your congregation, contact Oikocredit by email at us.nos”at”oikocredit.org. While you wait for your mail to arrive, check out CRS Fair Trade dowloads….

…Or delve into to a new bible study on Fair Trade, from Partners for Just Trade, an initiative of Presbyterian Church (USA). Entitled Fair Trade: Using our Purchasing Power for Justice and Hope, the guide grounds Fair Trade principles in biblical teaching and provides resources for prayer, reflection and action. With tips for facilitators and questions for discussion, the guide is a great resource for study groups or Religious Education classes. In addition to sharing some background information on Fair Trade and organizations working in the movement, the guide focuses on artisan experiences in Peru to convey the realities and potential of Fair Trade. The guide costs $5 for individual copies, and there are discounts for bulk orders. Visit the PJT website to learn more.

Inspired by new knowledge, make plans for how your community can continue the tradition of faith-based participation in the Fair Trade movement. Host a Work of Human Hands sale, encourage students to Raise Money Right, or convert your after Mass coffee-hour to Fair Trade. Use the comment form below to tell us how you are planning to celebrate Fair Trade month and how we can help support you!

Honoring the Labor of Fair Trade Cooperatives

Jackie — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:33:03 +0000

Saludos desde Managua, Nicaragua! I have just finished participating in a workshop with CRS agro-enterprise, management quality, and evaluation staff from our Latin America region. These folks are about to embark on a CRS project designed to improve the livelihoods of more than 7,000 small scale coffee farmers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua.

The majority of my time here, though, was spent in a hotel conference room. I know that doesn’t sound very exciting: spending hours on end discussing the opportunities for and barriers to market access from the perspective of coffee farmers in four very different countries with markedly similar problems. But to find solutions and to take advantage of new possibilities, thoughtful planning and consultation is key to being effective. Plus, whenever I meet with CRS country staff I am always impressed by their commitment, their competence, and their patience with my severely flawed Spanish language skills!

However, I suspect a blog reader doesn’t really want to know the results of small group brainstorming sessions. So, let me borrow from another CRS colleague, Fr. David Garcia, who recently visited Nicaragua as part of our Global Fellows program. Fr. David was fortunate to meet with some of the members of La Fem, a women’s led cooperative that CRS-Nicaragua accompanies in the Matagalpa region. Here are some of his reflections, and you can read more at the CRS Blog.

“While we visited [La Fem] they showed us a new wet mill, which is a machine that separates the coffee bean from the fruit pulp. CRS provided it and we were asked to bless it, as they looked forward to a more efficient processing of the coffee crop this year. The women now have a growing business selling Fair Trade organic shade-grown coffee, which is among the highest quality possible. They have paid back the initial loan and their children are now dreaming of going to the university. It was impressive how much they are aware not only of good business practices, but also marketing, prices, organic methods, and preserving the environment. These women never had much chance at formal education and now are changing the future for their entire village.”

What Fr. David witnessed was the result of long-term Fair Trade commitments. In addition to working with CRS in their home communities, La Fem is a partner of U.S. based CRS Fair Trade partner Just Coffee in Madison, WI. In the photo above you can see Fr. David and La Fem farmers with a bag of Just Coffee. Without technical assistance on the ground and export opportunities in the marketplace, coffee farmers are less likely to have their futures change for the better.

Whether in a field, a hotel room, or a coffee roastry, Fair Trade is changing lives. With a three-day weekend upon us, perhaps you’d like to take a moment to honor Fair Trade laborers, whether their cooperative be in Nicaragua, or Madison or in some place you’ve visited!

The Olympics need an authentic dose of respect

Jackie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:29:37 +0000

When I was in Seattle earlier this summer training a group ofCRS Fair Trade Ambassadors, one of the best parts was a talk given by Scott James, founder and CEO of Fair Trade Sports. Scott is known in the Fair Trade world as a entrepreneur of the best sort: super-smart, passionate about justice, full of ideas, and all around nice guy. He spent a couple hours with us CRS Fair Trade folks sharing his approach to and enthusiasm for economic justice and word-of-mouth marketing.

These past few weeks, as I watched some of the Olympics, I wondered what Scott (shown below with yours truly) was thinking about, beyond the extraordinary athleticism on display. Scott was kind enough to submit his observations and perspectives, which do not necessarily represent CRS, but do give us much to think about as the Olympics wind down and the need for international respect continues.

From the keyboard of Scott James:
“This summer has been one of the most memorable in years! The Beijing Olympics have opened up an ancient city that’s been elusive to visitors for thousands of years. A new spirit of hope graces the world right now, opening the doors for newfound respect between nations. The question I ask myself often these days is how can we channel this new global attitude towards improving social and economic conditions everywhere?

Fair Trade establishes economic justice by giving indigenous peoples the ability to become self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency includes more than just survival. Self-sufficiency includes having a living wage that sustains self-reliance and respect, which empowers even the poorest nation. Nations can build, recover and grow with the self- reliance inherent in the Fair Trade movement.

Major athletic sponsors, such as Nike and Adidas, are making huge corporate profits from the Beijing Olympic Games. When you browse their websites, you’ll find jackets, pants and even sports balls related to the Olympics selling for well over $100. Are the prices of their products indicative of production costs? Unfortunately, they are not.

Adidas is the official sponsor of the Beijing Olympics, and Nike is a major contributor of sports equipment and uniforms for the teams. Both companies have less than stellar Fair Trade and employee rights records (try a quick search on their brand names on the Coop America website). Too often, profits are pumped into the pockets of investors and celebrity athletes rather than the economies of the product’s producers. This disrespects the integrity of those who work long hours in unhealthy conditions. Such a lifestyle deprives them of self- sufficiency and is an injustice that destroys entire countries’
economies. But I believe these large companies can change; that change will occur when they are under enough pressure, both external and internal.

External pressure from the market has proven a great force of change in many industries. Fair Trade companies like mine provide actionable education through our blog that Adidas and Nike can use to begin their own certified Fair Trade and eco-certified product lines. We will count it as a victory when one of the Top 5 multinational brands converts their sports ball line to certified Fair Trade like ours. As the public becomes more educated by Fair Trade companies, they are more likely to buy Fair Trade products and pressure larger athletic companies to comply.

Internal pressure within multinational companies like Adidas and Nike can come through inspired employees and corporate managers willing to think holistically and make change towards a truly sustainable (and thus, ethical) supply chain. These folks do exist; I’ve helped train some of them at the sustainable MBA program Bainbridge Graduate Institute.

Global respect can be transferred to corporate respect. The major athletic brands we see behind the Olympics need to understand the crucial link between respect and economic justice. By pumping their profits into respect for the indigenous workers, they will get ten- fold return on their corporate identity. Fair wages and healthy working conditions increase employee productivity and the entire community’s stability. With Fair Trade, it is possible to undo the years of economic injustice by simply giving authentic respect to the producers of our products.”

To respond to these thoughts, please leave a comment below. To read more from Scott, visit his blog: www.fairtradesports.com

Fair Trade Beach Reading List

Jackie — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:47:33 +0000

Summer is almost over, but if you still have time to get some reading done, be sure and visit the Fair Trade Institute for an offering of ideas to peruse and use. The Institute, based in Switzerland, has teamed up with the US-based Fair Trade Resource Network to create an on-line collection of Fair Trade reading selections.

And if you are a Fair Trade writer yourself, you can add your own publication, with a link to your article. Fair Traders are also invited to post professional information to be made available to the Fair Trade community. With participation from advocates and consumers like you, the Fair Trade Institute can contribute to the understanding and effective implementation of Fair Trade worldwide. Check it out!