The current focus areas of The Rotary Foundation are a close fit to the principles of Fair Trade. Rotary’s foci are the following:
- Promoting peace
- Fighting disease
- Providing clean water
- Saving mothers and children
- Supporting education
- Growing local economies
The principles and rules of Fair Trade are simply means to the ends of the Rotary’s foci, such as these:
- Women must be part of decision making
- Children must go to school
All of this is to say, how smart of Rotarians to come up with the idea of selling organic Fair Trade coffee as a fundraiser for their many projects! The mere purchase of Fair Trade coffee to sell helps meet Rotary priorities by supporting Fair Trade farmers. Then, with profits from their coffee sales, Rotarians can support clean water projects and more.
If you are a Rotarian, please raise this idea of selling and using Fair Trade coffee with your local club. The Rotary Club of Media, which happens to be the First Fair Trade Rotary Club in America, sells the specially packaged Green Mountain coffee with Rotary insignia at its weekly meetings and at various town events. Ask me where to purchase the Rotary coffee!
Our board president, Tom Hibberd, is an active Rotarian and Fair Trade promoter. He visited the Rotary Club of Garstang, UK, the World’s First Fair Trade Town.
Thanks for working smarter, Rotary!
“I’d rather take coffee than compliments just now.”—Louisa May Alcott, Little Women