Fair Trade Month 2008

The month of October is Fair Trade Month - a time when we can get together to act and to spread the word of Fair Trade and how it can help change people's lives - literally. Fair Trade stretches far beyond coffee. While coffee is probably the medium that most people look at Fair Trade through, it is much more than that. From fruits to flowers and from crafts to jewelery and clothing, the list goes on and on. The Fair Trade Movement is not only about setting fair prices. It is about Fair prices, Fair labor conditions, Direct trade, Democratic and transparent organizations, Community development, Environmental sustainability You can read much more about all of this at Transfair USA. Transfair USA also gives us 12 ways to get involved during the month of October: Vote. Every Fair Trade purchase you make is a vote for a better world. Vote with your dollar, look for the Fair Trade Certified label, and buy Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate, rice, sugar and other products whenever you shop. Check our website to find out Where to Buy Fair Trade Certified products at over 40,000 retailers nationwide. ASK.If you don't see Fair Trade products in your favorite coffee shop, restaurant or grocery store, ask for them! Fill out a comment card or talk to a store manager. Businesses respond well to consumer demand for sustainable goods. When you register to host an event, you’ll receive handy business-size Action Cards and other tools you can use to promote Fair Trade in your community. DONATE. We rely on your tax-deductible contributions to TransFair USA to be able to continue our work with farmers and farm workers in some of the poorest communities around the world. HOST. Fair Trade House Parties, film screenings and product tastings are great ways to raise awareness and educate others in your community about the importance of Fair Trade. We offer tools and materials to help you host a successful and fun event! Be sure to register your event with us so we can support your efforts. Check out our Online Events Calendar to get involved with Fair Trade activities going on near you. JOIN. Sign up to join our online community! Keep abreast of new Fair Trade products, creative promotional campaigns, and Fair Trade's impact on farmers. Click here to subscribe. Also, we invite you to be our friend on MySpace or Facebook! CELEBRATE. October is Fair Trade Month, and World Fair Trade Day happens every 2nd Saturday in May. Join the Fair Trade movement and promote Fair Trade during these special times. We sponsor lots of fun activities, from art contests to coffee give-aways to school curriculums. You can apply for a mini-grant to support your organizing efforts. LEARN. Read about why Fair Trade is needed and how Fair Trade impacts farmers, farm workers and the environment. On our website you'll find background information, media articles, fact sheets, and links to other great organizations. INTRODUCE. Bring Fair Trade to your high school or college campus! From hosting Fair Trade Fairs to gathering hundreds of petitions, students have been at the forefront of the Fair Trade movement, raising awareness and bringing Fair Trade to hundreds of schools across the country. Get involved at your school today! START. Get involved with a local Fair Trade group and work to make your community a Fair Trade Town! There be an active Fair Trade Group near you, but if one doesn't exist, it's not that hard to start one! Our website offers helpful contacts for groups from Brattle boro to the Bay Area and plenty of examples of how other people just like you have done it. FUNDRAISE. Sell Fair Trade products as a fundraiser for your school, church or community group. Learn about companies that offer special Fair Trade fundraising programs. GIVE. Fair Trade products - chocolate, handicrafts, and sports balls!-are a great way to give meaning to birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other gift-giving traditions. SERVE. Enjoy Fair Trade products like tea and coffee at your place of worship. Thousands of faith groups across the country are active in selling, serving and educating about Fair Trade in their congregations, as a tangible way to live out their values and make a difference for the world's poor. Over the next few weeks, we will be talking about all things Fair Trade and the things going on during the month. I hope this is a time that we can use to learn more about the movement and what it all means to us and to the people in other countries. There are events going on all over the place that you can be a part of. Bookmark this page and click the events tab to keep up to date! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, fair trade month Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!