Back in June, Harvest Market’s Communications Coordinator, Holly Tyson, had the opportunity to attend a Fair Trade Summit hosted by Equal Exchange at Wheaton College, just twenty minutes down the road from the Equal Exchange headquarters in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. This 3rd annual gathering of citizen-consumers re-enforced the commitment we make at Harvest Market every single day thanks to YOUR support of fair trade products. Holly provided this report from her experience at the summit.
“We’re Here to Change the World”
I have long lived by the quote from Käthe Kollwitz, “I am in the world to change the world.” Maybe that’s why it feels so good to work at Harvest Market and fulfill my passion for food justice and community outreach. So you can imagine that I was thrilled when Harvest Market’s co-owners Bob and Karen gave me the green light to attend a Fair Trade Food Summit sponsored by Equal Exchange, a member-owned cooperative in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
Equal Exchange has always been – by far – one of my most treasured vendors in the store. Much like the work we do at Harvest Market, Equal Exchange doesn’t just “talk the talk”– they walk the walk, every step of their journey. Their fair trade standard is THE gold standard for fair trade, and I encourage you all to take a close look at their rigorous certification standards. I simply adore everything about their Congo Coffee, which goes one step further than its noble organic and fair trade standards by contributing directly to the award-winning Panzi Foundation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with every bag purchased! Their chocolates and teas are also staple items in my home, and I get a rush when I think about the small farmers that receive fair wages and other benefits as a result of my purchases. With the wind at my sails, I booked by round-trip Amtrak train ticket and was on my way to Massachusetts for an uplifting 3 day summit!