Sunday, October 24, 2010
Alternative Market
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church Hall
Please join us in the Church Hall on Sunday, October 24 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. as we host more than 20 local businesses, artisan groups, and job training programs at our Alternative Market. Get a jump on your holiday shopping by purchasing beautiful, and unique items. This also is an excellent opportunity for you to support organizations and businesses that uphold the ideals of solidarity, worker justice, and promote a fair, conscious economy!
“Through everyday actions, on everyday issues, we are creating living economies, living democracies, and living cultures. Diversity alliances, cooperation, and persistence are our strengths. Service, support, and solidarity are our means. Justice, human freedom, dignity, and ecological survival are our ends.”
Vandana Shiva
Excerpt from “Earth Democracy: Justice Sustainability, and Peace.”
The Alternative Market offers you some simple, new, and direct ways to support justice, dignity, human freedom and ecological survival by:
- Becoming aware of local, fair trade and environmentally conscious vendors who uphold the dignity and rights of workers, provide meaningful and productive work, as well as a decent and fair wage for their employees.
- Appreciating and supporting vendors through purchases of their products or learning about their services.
- Better understanding the impact your spending choices make on the lives of others with every purchase you make.
- Sampling delicious, local foods and Fair Trade coffee and teas while you learn about all the ways you can help make a just economy a reality through simple actions!
Small, local, and Fair Trade vendors will feature not only their products, but also share the stories of the individuals who grow or craft the items for sale. Make the choice to support those who empower and uplift workers near and far. Every purchase you make can be a step toward a more fair, just, and conscious economy.
Three Important Reminders:
- All sales benefit the individual vendors. Old St. Patrick’s hosts this event in support of the good works and practices of these organizations and businesses.
- Please bring cash or checks as some vendors may not accept credit cards.
- This is our only “Alternative Market.” In past years we have also hosted Ten Thousand Villages in the fall. Old St. Pat’s will be unable to host this event this year
Alternative Market Vendors
Abbey Brown Soap Artisan
www.abbeybrown.com
Abbey Brown Soap Artisan creates handmade natural olive oil soaps, soothing body oils and relaxing bathing essentials. All of their fine products are crafted by hand in Chicago’s West Loop using locally grown herbs and botanicals.
Bright Endeavors
www.brightendeavors.org
Bright Endeavors, a social enterprise of New Moms, Inc., is a non-profit, enterprise and outreach program that utilizes renewable, green resources to create job opportunities for homeless and at-risk young women. Through the production of Dreambean Candles, they use renewable resources to create renewed spirits.
Chiapas Photography Project
http://chiapasphoto.org/introe.html
To benefit the Chiapas Photography Project in Mexico, the following will be available for sale: photography books by Maya photographers, about their life, customs and traditions, food, and celebrations; textiles from Chiapas and Guatemala , including shawls, neck and table scarves, and bags.
Chicago Fair Trade
www.chicagofairtrade.org
Chicago Fair Trade works to reduce global poverty by increasing support for fair trade through education, advocacy and consumer campaigns. Learn how fair trade sports balls are reducing child labor in Pakistan.
Coprodeli
www.coprodeliusa.org
The mission for Coprodeli includes supporting local entrepreneurs and artists to ensure a quality and sustainable income. To achieve this goal, Coprodeli raises funds for strengthening and expanding their efforts in employment generation and business incubation.
The Enterprising Kitchen
www.theenterprisingkitchen.org
The Enterprising Kitchen (TEK) is a non-profit social enterprise providing job/life skills training to motivated, low-income women with the skills to achieve economic self-sufficiency through the manufacturing of natural soaps, spa products and gift baskets. Revenue from the sales of these products allows them to pay their participants for their time, and enables them to contribute to the support of their families while gaining vital experience.
Fair Earth
www.ourfairearth.com
Fair Earth is a fair trade marketplace working to promote global trade justice, celebrate Africa’s beauty, and facilitate connections between fair trade producers and those who buy their products. They do this by developing sustainable trade relationships with artisans in East Africa, telling their stories, and creating a high-quality and fashionable line of fair trade jewelry, clothing, accessories, and home decor for you to enjoy!
Friends of Fabretto
www.fabretto.org
La Familia Padre Fabretto, a Nicaraguan non-profit, nurtures a women’s cooperative producing colorful pine needle baskets, a carpentry shop producing Christmas themed puzzles, plaques and gifts, and a coffee cooperative producing Fair Trade, shade grown, organic coffee from Nicaragua.
The Giving Tee
Partnering with Women for Women International while celebrating and supporting women everywhere, that’s The Giving Tee. They produce a line of specialty T-shirts that are uniquely designed, understated, and classic. Their products are all about “simple truth” phrases that celebrate who we are as women and unite us in a common goal to better the lives of women survivors of war, and extreme abuse.
Global Handmade Hope
www.globalhandmadehope.com
Global Handmade Hope began in 2009 after a mission trip to Rwanda to help widows of the Genocide build a self-sustainable bakery and yarn project. Their mission is to spiritually uplift communities throughout the world. They work with humanitarian missions, and are committed to helping those less fortunate provide food and shelter for their families by offering them a place and opportunity to sell their goods. They strive to offer hope and help all find the path that will lead them to God.
¡Gracias!
Susanne and Vincent Donoghue started a small fair trade business in the summer of 2009 seeking to expand the market for marginalized producers in developing countries. They want to provide opportunities for these families to realize their hopes for improved education, health, and welfare.
Green Grocer
www.greengrocerchicago.com
Green Grocer Chicago features local and organic foods, and other items. They firmly believe in buying from vendors who share their beliefs in taking care of the body, community, and the environment through their food choices.
Greenheart Shop
www.greenheartshop.org
Greenheart is a non-profit Fair Trade store selling a wide variety of items including home decor, kitchen wares, clothing, jewelry, kids toys, and more! Their store sells products that support fair wages and provides respectful livelihoods for workers around the world. They give consumers the ability to stand in solidarity with workers, and support sustainable environmental practices through their shopping choices.
Greenola
www.greenolastyle.com
Greenola is committed to Fair Trade: a justice centered business model providing a living wage for producers, safe and empowering working conditions, and environmentally friendly practices. They empower their producers in the Third World to lift themselves out of poverty, invest in their communities, protect the environment, and develop skills necessary to compete in a global environment.
Interfaith Worker Justice
www.iwj.org
Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) is the leading national interfaith organization promoting the rights of workers, especially those in low-wage jobs. It creates partnerships between workers, religious leaders, attorneys, and government agencies that protect worker rights. More recently, IWJ has been at the forefront of a national campaign to end wage theft.
Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks
www.FreshPicks.com
Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks offers year-round home delivery in the Chicago area of local and organic produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, and more. They partner with sustainable farmers to grow fair trade and local food in a way that protects our health and the environment. Food is obtained from farms in close proximity to Chicago to keep food miles and greenhouse gases down while ensuring the quality of fresh and nutritious products.
Just Haiti
www.justhaiti.org
Just Haiti works in solidarity with a group of subsistence coffee growers in rural Haiti to develop their business, export, market, and sell their coffee in North America. Growers receive the internationallyestablished fair trade price for their coffee, and in addition, they receive all profits from coffee sales at the end of each year. Last year, the profit check was higher than the original price paid for the coffee. This project uses a model of economic justice, rather than charitable assistance, to directly address the grinding poverty that most Haitians face.
Katherine Anne Confections
www.katherine-anne.com
Katherine Anne Confections creates truffles and caramels from the finest natural ingredients, with a focus on local and organic supplies. Find seasonal truffles, such as Apricot Basil, Raspberry Champagne, and Banana Cream Pie; along with seasonal caramels such as Hazelnut and Pepper, Rosemary Sea Salt, and Strawberry Balsamic. Treats are packaged in beautiful fairtrade boxes, hand-crafted from long grass paper.
Kiichpan
http://kiichpan.com
Kiichpan was created to share the beautiful handmade arts and crafts from the Mayan world. They aid in the promoting of Mayan art by providing a commercial outlet were their craft is cherished, respected, and valued.
Malia Designs
www.maliadesigns.com
Malia Designs was formed to increase economic opportunity for women in developing countries, and to support local and international non-profit organizations that fight human trafficking in Southeast Asia. Their products are made by non-profit organizations that employ disadvantaged people in developing countries as well as small family producers. By bringing their crafts to Western markets, they can expand their access to sustainable income.
Mata Traders
www.matatraders.com
Mata Traders believe giving women economic power and viable working skills can transform a community (and so the world) and that this is the surest way to combat poverty. That’s why all their fair trade clothing and accessories are handmade in India and Nepal by women’s cooperatives offering livable wages, good working conditions, literacy, and wellness programs.
MayaWorks
www.mayaworks.org
MayaWorks promotes economic development for Maya women and their families by supporting a marketplace for their handcrafted goods, such as beaded jewelry, handwoven bags, home goods, baby, and children’s products. As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, MayaWorks pays artisans at prices they set, provides technical assistance, and educational opportunities to women who otherwise have limited ways to participate or contribute to the economic stability of their families.
Soko Rafiki
www.sokorafiki.com
Soko Rafiki is a fair trade company that brings the African market to local communities, connecting consumers to the work of artisans from Southern, East and West Africa. They work with Global Alliance for Africa to provide an outlet for groups who are engaging in micro-enterprise to benefit orphans and vulnerable children. They also provide small grants to women’s groups to expand their production and support therapeutic arts programs for East African children.
Sweet Beginnings
www.beelinestore.com
Sweet Beginnings, LLC, is a social enterprise employing men and women to make all-natural skin care products infused with their own raw, Chicago urban honey. They work to increase the potential of the West Side community and beyond by providing a framework of personal and team support to individuals who struggle with barriers to employment.
WomanCraft
www.womancraft.net
WomanCraft, a social enterprise of Heartland Human Care Services, located in Chicago ‘s North Lawndale neighborhood, provides artisan positions and transitional jobs to women overcoming barriers to employment, so they may earn income, improve job skills, build a work history, and increase economic self-sufficiency. The women produce sustainable items from recycled office paper and reclaimed botanic elements, including note cards, invitations, and other wonderful products — promoting solidarity with their environment — as well as their neighbors in Chicago working to transition from homelessness and poverty, to reenter the community from jail or prison, to achieve their goals for independence for themselves and their families through succeeding in the workplace.
World Shoppe
www.World-Shoppe.com
World Shoppe was born to help women in developing countries have a stronger voice and rights within their families and communities. By providing them with employment opportunities, they are able to send their children to school, feed their families, and contribute to the economic development of their communities. As part of their mission to support young girls and education, they have begun a scholarship program for two girls and four computers for a school in the Western Cape.
