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BVMs first participated in a grass-roots fair trade coffee movement in the 1990s. At that time, Jean Gordon, BVM (James Miriam) sold bags of Nicaraguan Equal Exchange (EE) coffee at the BVM Center and Ann DeNicolo, BVM (Ann Thomas) sold bags of coffee from her car trunk. Also, Maureen O’Brien (Matteo) and Karen Conover, BVMs in the West, became fair trade coffee promoters there. Then, in 2001 the BVM Great Lakes’ Social Concerns Committee (GLSCC) and the Social Justice Network re-vitalized interest in fair trade coffee among BVMs and Associates by inviting Jill Wenke, an EE Interfaith Representative, to present an educational program and to serve and sell EE coffee at a Portland community gathering. In response to interest, Francilla Kirby BVM and GLSCC members sold EE coffee at gatherings. Besides buying coffee for residences and work, Sisters and Associates also bought gifts to encourage future purchasers. In February 2002, Jill was invited to Mt. Carmel to give another presentation to the Sisters living there. Afterwards, administrators decided to purchase 20 pounds of EE decaf coffee weekly for the dining rooms. Also, Kathryn Lawlor BVM (John Laurian) began taking EE orders at the Roberta Kuhn Center for those in the Dubuque area. Later, Associate Jocile Walsh held a discussion on fair trade coffee for South Central Region Associates. Besides purchasing, BVMs and other communities play a significant role in supporting daily operations and growth of EE by offering low interest loans. Because EE pays farmers $1.26 per pound of coffee, EE is unable to secure conventional loans from banks which value coffee at a lower world market rate. Thus, loans from religious communities are vital to EE’s survival due to the high costs of coffee production before it is sold. BVMs have given structural support to EE by making renewable loans available through their Alternative Investment Fund (see next page). These have financed EE’s annual purchase of 175,000 pounds of coffee from farmers. What is Fair Trade and EE? Fair trade is an alternative trading partnership with coffee organizations committed to:
It is based on dialogue, transparency, sustainable development, greater equity in international trade, and respect for other producer or farmer, especially in the global South. Equal Exchange is a worker-owned cooperative founded in1986 which sells 100% fair traded coffee, tea, cocoa and chocolate bars from Latin America, Asia and Africa. EE has an Interfaith Program which does outreach to religious organizations, encouraging their purchase of EE products. EE believes that fair trade activities are compatible with beliefs and practices of justice. EE has established partnerships with the international aid organizations of eight mainline Protestant and peace churches, and more than 200 Catholic religious communities now purchases Equal Exchange Coffee. CRS A New Partner A new partnership was recently begun with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). In 2003 the CRS Coffee Project began as an initiative with the EE Interfaith Program to seek participation of 65,000,000 Catholics in parishes, schools and institutions. For every pound of coffee purchased by Catholic organizations, EE contributes to the CRS Small Farmer Fund; this supports the development of coffee cooperatives and community-based projects. To learn more about this, visit the web sites of CRS www.catholicrelief.org/ or EE www.equalexchange.com/ or contact SALT. About the author: Associate Gabe Blood lives in Madison, Wis., is on the staff of the BVM Women’s Office and is active in the Social Justice Network and Great Lakes Social Concerns Committee. Return
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