The Fair Trade and Alternative Gift Market returns this year on the weekend of November 14th and 15th! If you have been before, you may know how the market works, but we want to emphasize what makes St. Francis different, even if you see these same vendors elsewhere in the area. The Market reflects our parish’s commitment to live out Catholic Social Teaching, especially by affirming the dignity of work and the importance of a fair wage for those who share their artisanship and hard work with the world.
Mary Ellen McGuire and Casey Slock, the Director and Coordinator, respectively, of the Justice and Peace Office at St. Francis, offer an example as a way to describe how these beautiful, handmade wares come to our Market: “There was one man I talked to last year who was here, one of the vendors, who visited Guatemala on vacation. He met these artists there who made beautiful scarves, tablecloths, and other things. He told these artists, ‘We have to sell these in the States.’ So he buys them from the people, sells them here as a vendor, and all the money goes to them. He doesn’t make them personally, but he supports the market by making sure their products get here, and then he sells them at these sorts of markets on their behalf.”
Several vendors do the same by creating companies. “Another example,” they say, “is the woman who works in Peru as a social worker. Her support group for women who have experienced trauma uses knitting and crochet as a therapeutic tool. She sells their products in our fair trade market, and that money goes to help the clinic and to provide the women with an income so that they’re not dependent on an abusive situation.” These are just two examples of how the market at St. Francis provides a direct support network that pays artisans a fair wage in other places. Every product sold there helps an organization in need.
How is St. Francis’ market different? We charge no ‘tabling fee’ to help keep costs down and ensure the money goes to the artisans and the cooperatives themselves, but we also support the effort through food. Justice and Peace creates sign-ups, and parishioners volunteer to provide breakfast and lunch on the days they are here. We do have dinner for them on Saturday. “We consider those vendors as ministering to the world,” says Casey, “and we’re really nourishing them to continue doing the work that they do. They tell us they go to other craft fairs that are not necessarily fair trade focused, and they say, ‘You know, they don’t feed us. We love coming here!’”
Support the St. Francis Fair Trade and Alternative Gift Fair by purchasing the wares from artists and artisans from around the world. If the spirit moves you, also consider volunteering to help coordinate the event, set up the tables at the Market, or even bring food to help feed the vendors. All of our efforts help to support the dignity of their work!