An Awesome Fair Trade Month Giveaway!!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that October is Fair Trade month, a time to celebrate fair wages and healthy, safe working conditions for artisans and farmers? Fair Trade Certification encourages environmentally sustainable business practices and prohibits the abuse of child slave labor, and since the cocoa industry is swarming with accusations of child slavery and other human rights abuses, choosing Fair Trade Certified chocolate is really important. Global Exchange - as we have talked about before - is all about Fair Trade gifts and other supplies. I wanted to share a bit from them about Fair Trade Month that Tex Dworkin, Global Exchange Director of Marketing, Global Exchange Store shared with me: Celebrate Fair Trade Month with Global Exchange What’s the difference between people who choose Fair Trade certified chocolate to hand out to Trick-or-Treaters and those who hand out un-certified chocolate? Lipstick. Kidding of course, but in truth the cocoa industry is no laughing matter. Let’s face it. Chocolate that isn’t Certified Fair Trade is just plain scary. The US Department of State estimates that more than 109,000 children in the Ivory Coast’s cocoa industry work under “the worst forms of child labor,” while the International Labor Rights Forum claims 284,000 children toil in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields. October isn’t just about Halloween. October is also Fair Trade month, a time to celebrate the economic model guaranteeing fair wages and healthy, safe working conditions for artisans and farmers. Fair Trade encourages environmentally sustainable business practices and prohibits the abuse of child slave labor. Luckily people who purchase Fair Trade Certified chocolate are making a positive difference in the world. For years now, the cocoa industry has been linked to child slavery in Africa, unsafe working conditions for cocoa farmers worldwide, and harmful chemical pesticides that diminish the health of our environment as well as workers in cocoa farms. Fair Trade Certified chocolate guarantees that these and other conditions are prohibited, so consumers can enjoy chocolate as it is meant to be; a tasty sweet experience. Global Exchange is doing its part to ensure that Fair Trade becomes the norm for chocolate and other products, not the alternative. Here are a few ways we’re working to promote Fair Trade: ~ Our Sweet Smarts Fair Trade campaign is a national network of individuals, from young children to senior citizens, whose simple, creative actions to educate and advocate for Fair Trade certified products transform communities and corporations to support small farmers' efforts to build a better future for their families. http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/SweetSmarts.html ~In honor of Fair Trade month, our Online Store is giving out FREE Fair Trade chocolate with every order during October, while supplies last. http://www.globalexchangestore.org/holiday2.html ~Reverse Trick or Treating: A pleasant surprise will greet nearly a quarter million people distributing candy at their door, when youth reverse the Halloween tradition to hand adults a sample of Fair Trade chocolate. http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/reversetrickortreating/ ~Fair Trade Trick or Treat Action Kit: The first of its kind, our Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit has everything you need to make Halloween something special. It includes Fair Trade Trick-or-Treat chocolate to hand out, a Halloween decoration, a Fair Trade is Boo-tiful poster to hang in your window, and more! http://www.globalexchangestore.org/trickortreatkit.html So in honor of Fair Trade month (and Halloween!!), we're sending one lucky reader a FREE Fair Trade Trick or Treat Action Kit. The Fair Trade Trick or Treat Kit has everything you need to make Halloween something special. It includes Fair Trade Trick-or-Treat chocolate to hand out, a ghostly Papel Picado Halloween decoration, a Fair Trade is Boo-tiful poster to hang in your window, festive spooky postcards and an ecofriendly bag for Trick or Treating. To win this free kit, simply post a comment to this blog by Oct. 22nd with your thoughts about the Fair Trade Action Kit, along with your email address so we can let you know if you've won, and you're automatically entered for a chance to win your free kit! As I have said before, this is a great way to get involved with Fair Trade Month. I mean, you are going to be buying candy for the kids anyway - might as well make it fair and get a great word out at the same time! Heck, it could even be free! Don't want to wait until the end of the contest?? Your are in luck! You can purchase your action kit and other Halloween stuff at the Global Exchange Store! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, fair trade month Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

The Spero Project

Spero. (Latin) to hope for, hope. We heard about this great new project that is going on around our city and beyond. The group is called The Spero Project and they are on a mission to provide information, resources, and networking opportunities, equipping and encouraging individuals and local churches to meet the needs of a global community in innovative, effective, and exciting ways. The group does quite a bit of work in coffee producing countries and have been spreading the word on Fair Trade Month for the past few weeks. We heard about them a few weeks ago from a friend and thought the idea was great. We began reading through their website and about all the things they were up to. I got an email from Kim of The Spero Project a few days later which was cool. We had a chance to be interviewed by the group last week on Fair Trade coffee and why we do what we do. You can read the interview here. If you are interested in what else they have going on, be sure to keep in touch with their blog and check back often. You can sign up for updates and support the groups they are supporting. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, the spero project Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

Relationship and Fair Trade Coffees Discussed

There is lots of talk these days about certified coffees - Fair Trade, Shade Grown/Bird Friendly, and many more. What does it all mean? These certified labels are great because, as consumers, it gives us something to keep our eye out for. But is that the only "good" choice we have when purchasing products (we will talk coffee of course)? There are many pros and cons to the certification programs under any label that you might see in coffee. (Quickly, when we talk "labels" we are talking certified labels and not the producer or coffee roaster) There is a new movement on the scene that has really been taking shape for quite awhile now. As the video talks, Relationship Coffee tries to get beyond the label and to the meat of what all labels are really about. In definition, Relationship Coffee is a business model featuring individual long-term relationships between roasters and growers, based on quality rather than on wholesale prices. Many companies that go the route of Relationship Coffee (sometimes referred to as Direct Trade Coffee) are against the certification process the Fair Trade program puts on farmers and coffee producing countries and many for reasons that make since. The goal for many of us that care and focus on the social aspects of coffee in these producing countries is to be sure that the producers and their families are benefited - not only with a paycheck for the coffee that we and our customers enjoy every day but also for the livelihood - including education and environmental issues in their workplace. The biggest differences between the Fair Trade label and Relationship Coffee is how farmers are paid and what goes in to the ability of these farmers to gain access to the programs. Here is a bit about it: Relationship Coffee: This is a direct and transparent relationship between the roaster and the farmer. Many times, the roasters are in contact with the farm throughout the year and travel to origin to cup and preview coffees with the hands that grow them. Fair Trade Coffee: This is a market-based approach to empowering developing country producers and promoting sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods (via Wikipedia). In general, these two programs go after the same thing. While the Fair Trade program is established and carries certifications, there are costs involved to not only the end user but also the producers and the co-ops that help get the product to market. It is because of all of these policies that the Relationship Coffee began to take off. In a perfect world, we would have the ability to have the direct relationship promoted in relationship coffee with the accountability of a seal for our consumers. Many people are abandoning the Fair Trade program due to the "middlemen" some see in the process but in all reality, it is the only program we have that is visibly accounted for through the process. As it stands, we have the open source version of Fair Trade in Relationship Coffee. Filling the gaps in the Fair Trade program and fixing holes that have been created by the politics of it all will at some point bring it all together again. This is just a quick thought on the two. There are miles of type needed to truly get my point across and to really dive in to these types of coffees. I will talk more about it all in the future as I continue to try to figure all of this out! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, fair trade month Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

Society of Edmond Wedding Professionals

Cafe Evoke Catering was invited to join the Society of Edmond Wedding Professionals. We are excited to be a part of this great group. As Cafe Evoke Catering is dedicated to the highest quality in coffee preparation and service, the Society of Edmond Wedding Professionals is doing their part in making the Oklahoma wedding industry one of the best around. The Society of Edmond Wedding Professionals puts on a great event each year - what they call a virtual wedding. This is not your typically bridal show. This show actually goes through the motions of a real wedding with each vendor doing their part in the day. From caterers, cake makers, and beverage service to gowns, hair design, music and anything else you can think of. I will talk more about this years show - to take place in March - as it gets closer. As I've talked about before, the wedding industry has always been a close friend to Cafe Evoke Catering. There are so many people in the Oklahoma wedding market that are doing a great job taking wedding in Oklahoma to the next level and the Society of Edmond Wedding Professionals is one of them! Someone at the meeting on Wednesday said the wedding should be an accessory to the bride (I would say groom, too!) which I thought was a refreshing way to look at it. We try out best to seamless fit in to each event that we do and working with others that are doing that same thing is fantastic. Fore more information, visit the group online at www.edmondweddings.com. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, society of edmond wedding professionals Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

Talking Politics - Lightly

There are not many areas of politics I enjoy talking about on this blog but something last night got me excited. That tingle of enjoyment as I watched the debate. I felt comfortable and at home with what was going on and was intrigued by what I was watching. Yes, it could be that no matter who wins in a month we will have a first in the United States but I think it was something else. The debate was at Belmont University!. Yes, there are many things that were discussed that should have got my attention but what really did was the location. I enjoyed my 4 years at Belmont and would go back in a heartbeat if I had a chance/reason/opportunity. So much has happened since I left and it is great to see - Belmont Basketball taking it to Duke last year in the grand tourney, the debate, what's next? As Jenni and I sat and watched the pre-debate behind the scenes stuff that C-Span had at the event, we got to see Belmont Present Fisher and other people that have been a part of the school and event. Belmont seemed to live up to the challenge of putting on this type of event and I think Belmont will continue to impress with their ability to serve as a place for great events like this for years to come. I know it was crazy for the students of Belmont University for the past few days and it will probably stay a bit crazy for few days longer. Thanks for taking that in stride and helping to make this happen. It came off great and to people that had to watch it all unfold on TV or over the Internet, you looked good and it felt seamless. Another thing that Belmont did that I thought was cool was set up a site - Belmont Debate 08. The site included all information you would need to visit Nashville for the debate, register to vote, live feed, watch party information and much more. You can view pictures from the event last night here. So, while I was most excited to see my friends at Belmont do such a great job, the event was bigger than that of course - or maybe it wasn't. This is an important election in a time that will go down in history no matter who is "in charge" in the White House. Vote the way you feel you need to. Sift through the ugliness and dirty politics from both sides and get down to the meat of each campaign and be sure to get out there and vote. It is important and will help get our country through these hard times. OK, no more politics of this sort on this blog. Coffee is on the table and ready to be enjoyed! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, belmont debate 08 Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

A Fair Halloween..

It is that time of year again. A time for candy lovers of all kinds. While I prefer sour and hard candies, others are all about the chocolate. Well, the good news is that you can get all sorts of candy that will not only fulfill your desires for a "happy halloween" but will also go much further than that. When many people think of buying Fair Trade Certified products, they think of coffee. I'm happy to say that coffee is just one of many products that you can purchase knowing it was fairly traded and that the producers are being taken care of the way they should be. There are several different places to get candy to give to the little gobblans children that come to trick or treat. Here are a few places: Fair Trade - Candy Blog The Green Guide - Fair Trade Halloween Candy There are also tons of other things that can get you in the spirit this "Fair Trade Month" season - my friend Siel at GreenLAgirl has all the details on other Fair Trade swag for the season. ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, fair trade month Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

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!