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Haitian Fair Trade Coffee Served at LOC


Where does coffee come from? Not just from a favorite local grocery store, independent café, mom-and-pop-retail shop, or from the UPS truck that brings an internet order to your door. Behind items that we consume every day (coffee, tea and chocolate to name a few) are farmers struggling to survive and support their families. Many people now know it's socially responsible to buy Fair Trade products.
 
Light of Christ's gLOCal Missions Team has introduced Fair Trade coffee from Haiti as the regular coffee that is served on Sunday mornings at both worshipping locations. Fair Trade is a method of doing business with justice and morality. We enjoy delicious, fairly-traded coffee while farmers earn a fair price for their crops, have access to affordable credit, and can invest in education, health care and sustainable agriculture, building a better future for their families. Stay tuned for information on how you will be able to purchase this coffee.

LOC Member Louis Dorvilier began a now-thriving coffee cooperative project in Haiti in 1989. It started as a dream to cut the middle man, empower the planter, and create an economic development for the entire Belle-Anse area. Today, COOPCAB, the Cooperative of the Coffee Planters of Belle-Anse is a real power house. It went beyond the imagination of Levoy Wilcinot, Abraham Shepherd, Louis Dorvilier and others who started it. Three labels of gourmet coffee exist today. The exportation of this coffee to the USA, the Japanese and European markets provide direct work for 200 women, 1200 planters, and $1 million in annual revenues. Local economic development is possible in Haiti if only we have more committed partners in the long-term. Haiti needs more than a quick fix.

When you think about it, supporting fairly-traded coffee is a way to receive quality coffee and help make life better for those who grew the coffee. Live into Jesus' call for discipleship given to us in John 13: 34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."