Join the IIDA Chicago City Center as we welcome dozens of local artisans and crafters to display their unique, handmade items for purchase. Shop the newest trends while sipping wine, mingling with your peers and supporting a great cause.

This year’s event will benefit Designs 4 Dignity.

Fair Earth will be participating in Old St. Pat’s Alternative Market this Sunday, October 24, 2010.
More information below!

Fair Trade Vendors Showcase Products through
Alternative Market at Old St. Patrick’s Church
~ Combating Poverty by Empowering People through Entrepreneurship ~

(Chicago, Illinois ~ Sept. 24, 2010) — During this Season for Social Justice, Old St. Patrick’s Justice Initiative will host an Alternative Market on Sunday, Oct. 24 from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the church hall at Old St. Pat’s Church, 700 West Adams, in Chicago’s west loop area. This unique market is filled with more than 26 small, local, (and global) Fair Trade vendors, local farmers, and entrepreneurs who are working towards transforming their lives through job training and life skills support. Such a market exemplifies Old St. Pat’s year-long theme of Solidarity: Life Without Borders because it gives consumers a chance to enhance their sense of connection to people around the world and provides a glimpse of their ongoing struggle to fight poverty.

“We’re so excited about hosting such an incredible gathering of socially conscious organizations offering transitional employment and eco-friendly products that will help reduce poverty for families locally as well as globally.” said Rev. Thomas J. Hurley, pastor of Old St. Patrick’s Church.

This market also provides an opportunity to increase awareness of the individual stories of hope as these vendors continue to transform their lives through entrepreneurship. Additionally, the products featured include numerous handmade, sustainable, and Earth-friendly products for sale at reasonable prices.

Organizations like The Enterprising Kitchen, Abbey Brown Soap Artisan, Bright Endeavors, and Just Haiti all help to empower low-income women to achieve economic self-sufficiency through critical life and job skills enhancement programs. In addition, organizations like Chicago Fair Trade, Sweet Beginnings, Solidarity Clothing, and World-Shoppe all help to fight the ongoing struggle of poverty through job training while also offering Earth-Friendly products for sale.

Come join us for this unique market of vendors and products. For more information on the Justice Initiative at Old St. Pat’s, please contact Bob Kolatorowicz at 312.831.9379. If you’re seeking general information about Old St. Patrick’s Church, visit www.oldstpats.org or call 312.648.1021.

About the Justice Initiative at Old St. Patrick’s Church
It has become our practice at Old St. Patrick’s Church to designate September as a Season for Social Justice. During this time we set our sights on gaining a greater appreciation and understanding of the Catholic social ethic. Selecting a theme from Catholic Social Teaching, we use the Season as a time for dialogue, learning, inspiration, reflection, and most importantly, as an impetus to action.

This year our focus is on Solidarity. Within the theme Solidarity, Catholic Social Teaching emphasizes that we are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic, and ideological differences.

About Old St. Patrick’s Church
Founded in 1846, Old St. Patrick’s Church is the oldest public building in the city of Chicago. Its mission is to extend hospitality to all that find the church on their path. The current church structure, located on the northwest corner of Adams and Des Plaines streets, was dedicated on Christmas Day, 1856. In 1977, Old St. Patrick’s was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Globalfest Africa, the annual benefit of Chicago Fair Trade will feature fair trade producers from the African continent, including the appearance of Cecilia Appianim, leader of Kuapa Kokoo, Ghanaian producers of cocoa for Divine Chocolate. The event, October 14th at the Akainyah Gallery, will highlight the growing consumers support for products that guarantee social benefits to workers and the environment. Stories of producers of Fair Trade coffee, wine, chocolate, fashions and jewelry will be included.

Bianca Alexander, co-CEO of Conscious Planet Media and the Executive Producer of Conscious Living TV and Soul of Green, will emcee.

Fair trade is a world-wide movement aimed toward reducing poverty by providing farmers and artisans in developing countries a fair wage for their work. Chicago Fair Trade, is working toward making Chicago a Fair Trade City by educating Chicagoland residents about fair trade and increasing access throughout the city.

WHAT: Gala event, featuring Cecilia Appianim speaking about cocoa growers in Ghana, silent auction. Appetizers and fair trade wine from South Africa. Tickets $40 advance/$50 at the door

WHEN: Thursday, October 14th 5:30-9 pm

WHERE: Akainyah Gallery, 357 W. Erie

Tickets and more Information at www.chicagofairtrade.org