For Valentine¹s Day, try Fair Trade, church urges
This Valentine’s Day, broaden your love to your fellow man. One-on-one, endear yourself to your sweetie by being socially aware and giving Fair Trade chocolates.
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown has asked members to have a Fair Trade Valentine’s Day. The organic chocolate bars with enticing names such as Dark Orange, Panama Extra Dark, Dark with Cocoa Nibs and Milk Chocolate with a hint of hazelnut are from Equal Exchange, a worker-owned Fair Trade organization in Canton, Mass. Equal Exchange is part of the International Fair Trade Association, a network of businesses that promotes fairly traded products.
Marcia Malmer, a member and treasurer at First Unitarian, said Equal Exchange supports small-farmer cooperatives and promotes fair prices for goods.
She described church members as being “socially conscious” and credited Ellen Satre, another member, with organizing the effort. Malmer said Satre had a special interest in Fair Trade products because her husband, Lowell Satre, had written a book, “Chocolate on Trial: Slavery, Politics and the Ethics of Business.” He is a retired Youngstown State University history professor. Malmer said the project at the church is about three years old. “The products sell steadily throughout the year, and a lot was sold at Christmas for gifts,” she said. Malmer said she thought the chocolates also would be a hit for Valentine’s Day.
Equal Exchange also offers a hot cocoa mix, spicy cocoa, coffee and tea. Malmer said the church serves the beverages at church activities and has a display. It also sells the products when it participates in the summer Farmers’ Market at Wick Park.
First Presbyterian Church in Youngstown is starting the Equal Exchange Interfaith Fair Trade Coffee Project. The idea was promoted by member Nancy Soyars, who noted it would benefit small-scale farmers. A recent church newsletter explained the background of Fair Trade and how it helps farmers around the world.
“We’re starting out with coffee and tea for sale to our members,” Soyars said. “And we plan to use it at the church.”
Of what’s available in regular and decaffeinated coffees and teas, Soyars said: “Everything sounds so good.”
The Equal Exchange Web site’s interfaith page touts Fellowship Blends including Organic Black Silk Espresso Blend, Organic Bolivian, Organic Breakfast Blend and Organic Mind Body and Soul for use at church coffee hours.
Soyars said the church ordered Bright Dark Brew, a medium roast, for $5.19 for 12 ounces and a decaf Columbian coffee at $6.15 for 12 ounces. “We thought the prices were reasonable,” Soyars said. Another aspect, she said, was how social justice played a role in the Fair Trade products.
Soyars said the organic and green tea offerings also were appealing. And the prices, $2.50 for 25 regular tea bags and $2.75 for decaf, were good.
Soyars said if the coffee and tea goes over well and sells at the church, chocolate and other products will be ordered. She noted the church is not using this as a fundraiser but as a show of support for the Fair Trade concept.
At Blessed Sacrament Church in Warren, Fair Trade certified products also are sold. Paula Pierce, director of communications, said the church has been involved in this project for three years. “We offer the products at cost. It’s not a fundraiser,” Pierce said. “We serve the coffees and teas at church events, and it’s been popular.”
Pierce said the project has brought more attention to “hunger awareness and social justice.” By buying Fair Trade products, church members are supporting small-farmer cooperatives. “They’re able to earn fair wages to support their families,” Pierce said, noting that social justice is in tune with Catholic teachings.
She said that at Christmastime, a holiday blend of coffee was available and sold well. A sweet treat such as a new crunchy chocolate has been “very popular,” and other offerings were white chocolate with strawberries, chocolate with fruit and nuts, and a mint dark chocolate.
Pierce also noted that information on the products shows how “the integrity of the product goes from the ground up.”
“It seems to be a less-processed product,” she said.
linonis@vindy.com