fair trade practices

Press release:

The 14^th annual World Wide Christmas Fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 12 at the First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

There is no admission charge.

The event features three types of vendors:

-- Local and regional not-for-profit organizations raising money for their programs or projects:

Healthy Sisters Soup and Bean Works (www.healthysisters.org ) from Catholic Family Services in Rochester. This organization provides women in Rochester the opportunity to learn about running a business and enables them to obtain the experience needed to be successful in the workforce. Their product is everything you need to make a pot of bean soup – the beans and spices, all neatly packaged with the recipe attached. They also have dip mixes for sale.

Guatemala Missions – Members of the First Presbyterian Church will have handmade items for sale that support The Garden’s Edge (www.gardensedge.org ), an organization that works to revitalize local culture and economy in Guatemala through projects in sustainable agriculture and environmental education.

-- Home businesses and craft people:

Representatives from several home business companies and members of the community with hand-crafted goods for sale will be on hand. All proceeds from sales made at the fair will be given to a charity chosen by each participant,

-- Vendors who promote and follow fair trade practices.

What are Fair Trade Practices?

One World Projects (www.oneworldprojects.com ), is a fair trade company located on Harvester Avenue  in Batavia. One World Projects was started in 1992 by Phil Smith. The mission of the company is to provide people in developing countries with the opportunity for economic sustainability and self-determination. 

• They do this by building open and respectful relationships with the people they work with around the world.
• One World Projects purchases high-quality products that have positive social impacts and environmental benefits.
• They pay artisans fair wages for their work allowing them to provide for their basic needs such as: food, shelter, clothing, education and health-care for their families.
• They provide financial and technical support to artisans by working with the artisans, suggesting product designs, improving artistic and technical skills, educating group leaders about the demands of the market.
• They support a safe and healthy work environment.
• They ensure the rights of children by not supporting exploitive child labor.
• They cultivate environmentally sustainable practices.
• And they reinvest in artisan groups and communities through economic programs and/or donations.

This is what it means to practice fair trade. One World Projects works with more than 80 artisan groups in more than 20 countries throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. They sell hundreds of products and each item tells the story of the people who make them.

Other vendors who practice fair trade:

One World Goods (www.owgoods.org  ) from Rochester will have items from all over the world – jewelry, scarves, handbags, mittens, toys, Christmas ornaments, decorative items, candles and much more.

Equal Exchange Coffee (www.equalexchange.coop) is a co-op from Massachusetts that sells coffee, tea, chocolate and olive oil from around the globe. 

The fair provides the opportunity to purchase quality gifts and support all of these worthwhile causes. This is not a fund-raising event for the church as there is no admission charge and vendors are not charged to participate.

Soups and sandwiches will be provided by the Presbyterian Women’s group and baked goods provided by the church’s youth and congregation. All proceeds from food purchases are donated to charity.

Merchandise available for purchase include home décor items, toys, candles, baskets, handbags, scarves, pottery, fairly traded coffee and chocolate, olive oil and jewelry. In addition, Christmas decorations, ornaments, and nativity sets will be sold.