Bethel
United Methodist Church
129 W. 4th Street, Lewes,
DE 19958 ~ (302) 645-9426
Equal Exchange Fairly Traded Products Coming to Bethel!
What are “Fairly Traded” products anyway? Small farmers in Latin America, Asia, and Africa are currently in the midst of an economic crisis caused by historically low market prices for coffee, teas, and cocoa. As a result, these farmers often receive less than the cost of production for their products, forcing some to abandon their farms for cities in a desperate attempt to make a living. For example, Fair Trade guarantees that small farmer cooperatives receive at least $1.26 per pound for conventional coffee, and $1.41 per pound for shade-grown, organic coffee. By purchasing fairly traded coffee for fellowship hours or fundraising projects, we can ensure that farmers benefit in this time of crisis, and receive long term support when prices rise again.
At Bethel's last Administrative Council meeting in January, the Council voted unanimously to switch to fairly traded coffee to do our part in this effort. Next Sunday (March 9th), we will be presenting a special video about Fairly Traded Products. In addition, we will begin serving Fairly Traded coffee during our fellowship times. In addition, we will be offering fairly traded coffees, teas, and cocoa for sale to our members and guests. Florence Sulitzky and others will assist you in either purchasing these products or placing an order.
In addition, for every package purchased through this project, Equal Exchange makes a contribution to UMCOR’s Small Farmer Fund. UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) further supports coffee growers by providing relief in times of need and contributing financial support to special projects created by the cooperatives for their communities.
For more information, please visit the UMCOR web site at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/hunger/coffee.cfm. Thank you for supporting this new mission in our church.