Charity of the Month: Fair Trade

OK, so this is really January's charity, but I'm a big believer in the "better late than never" methodology.

When we lived in Nashville, one of my favorite stores was the Ten Thousand Villages in Green Hills. Their vision is as follows:

One day all artisans in the developing countries will earn a fair wage, be treated with dignity and respect and be able to live a life of quality.

The way it works is that Ten Thousand Villages markets products made by artisans in developing countries in North America and pays these manufacturers a fair wage in return. It's such an awesome idea.

When we moved up north, I was thrilled to learn that there was a similar store nearby called Plowshare Center. For our January charity, we joined this non-profit with a family membership. In addition, I have a goal this year to buy as many gifts as possible at this store. They have something for everybody! Here is my favorite personal purchase:

Of course, the RFPD (Rebecka Fashion Police Department) will not be seen in public with me wearing this hat, but I enjoy it. I also very much enjoy fair trade chocolate.

For more information on fair trade go to the Fair Trade Federation's website.

Shopping never felt so good...