Glen Cary Lutheran Church - Equal Exchange Info

The "Scoop" on Equal Exchange Coffee

The February issue of Metro Lutheran featured a front page article about "fair trade coffee." This short article described briefly what "fair trade" means related to coffee -- that the coffee is purchased from growers who participate in a program that guarantees them a fair wage for their labor.

Small-scale coffee farmers in Latin America, Africa and Asia produce the majority of coffee in the world. With world prices for coffee depressed and the market oversupplied, farmers usually do not earn enough to cover their production costs. This means little or no money for food, housing, healthcare, or education for their children. Lutheran World Relief sponsors the LWR Coffee Project as a way for Lutherans to take action to alleviate poverty in developing countries.

Equal Exchange is a fiar trade organization committed to paying farmers a fair price for their crop. Through fair trade, farmers earn enough to cover their production expenses and also gain access to much needed pre-harvest financing. By making a simple change from conventionally traded coffee to fairly traded coffee, Lutherans can make a big difference in the lives of coffee farmers.

At Glen Cary the coffee served during fellowship hour and at other church functions is purchased through Equal Exchange. In addition, every third Sunday morning the Mission Committee has Equal Exchange fair traded coffee available for purchase for home or office use. The coffee is also available for sale every day in the church office. The Mission Committee invites you to look over the variety of roasts, blends, and flavors, most available in both whole bean or drip grind.

The coffee varieties on these Sunday mornings are a quality product, competitively priced. This is not a fund raiser for Glen Cary or the Mission Committee.

In addition to coffee, fairly traded Organic Teas are available. Also, Organic Hot Cocoa Mix and Organic Unsweetened Baking Cocoa. Coming later this year LWR will have a Chocolate Project featuring chocolate bars made with fair trade cocoa.

Please see www.equalexchange.com for more information.