The holiday season is just around the corner: Don’t wait for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s time to shop Fair Trade Wednesday and Thursday.
NIU’s Sociology Student Organization is hosting its annual Fair Trade Gift Sale in partnership with Just Goods from Rockford. A portion of the proceeds supports the Department of Sociology’s Alternative Spring Break Habitat for Humanity trip.
This year’s sale will again take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, and Thursday, Nov. 21, in Room 211 of Reavis Hall. Shoppers can select from a wide array of gifts, including jewelry, coffees and chocolates, holiday decorations, clothing and much more. Merchandise is priced for any budget.
The Just Goods Fair Trade Rockford website defines Fair Trade as an equitable and fair partnership between global marketers and producers in Asia, Africa, Latin America and other parts of the world. A fair trade partnership works to provide low income artisans and farmers with a living wage for their work. Fair trade is a socially conscious way to shop and make a difference in people’s lives.
Just Goods is a fair trade store dedicated to foreign and domestic fair trade. Between 80 and 90 percent f the store merchandise is supplied in partnership with cooperatives and family groups in developing countries. The other 10 to 20 percent of the merchandise is supplied by cooperative groups or organizations in the United States that provide opportunities to minorities and the underprivileged, including women’s empowerment programs and a program that supports small farms in danger from corporate farming.
The Department of Sociology will use their portion of the Fair Trade Gift Sale proceeds to help offset the travel costs for this year’s 20th annual spring break service trip where NIU students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends will volunteer to complete the construction of two Habitat homes. This year is the first year with partner Huskie Alternative Breaks.
Last year’s sale raised $200 toward the cost of the trip. This year, organizers are hoping to raise even more money to help more students spend their spring break making a difference in the lives of first-time homeowners through the Habitat for Humanity program.
The sale is a great opportunity for shoppers to support community-building initiatives in the United States and abroad and to find unique gifts for friends and family this holiday season.
For more information, call (815) 753-6440 or email jackking@niu.edu.
