Congratulations! Your church is one of 39 PC(USA) congregations that has continuously participated in the Presbyterian Coffee Project for more than ten years. Today, the project has grown to include over 3,000 PC(USA) congregations. Please accept a small token of our gratitude, a Certificate of Appreciation which recognizes your congregation as one of the longest standing supporters of the Presbyterian Coffee Project over the past decade. The awarding of such certificates is one way we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Presbyterian Coffee Project this year. We are also notifying your presbytery as a way of celebrating more widely the church’s accomplishments in Fair Trade.
Faithful Fair Trade purchasing for 10 years is a tremendous accomplishment. We are deeply thankful for your purchases of Equal Exchange fairly traded coffee, tea, chocolate, and snacks for your church. By supporting Fair Trade your congregation has helped small farmers to stay on their land, plan for the future, and care for the environment. The total of all fairly traded products purchased by Presbyterians over the past decade was 1,154,725 lbs. or 577 tons. Your continuing participation demonstrates that together Presbyterians can make a significant difference in alleviating hunger, eliminating its causes and creating a greener and more just food system. Your actions have strengthened the Fair Trade movement for small farmers around the world and have provided an alternative trade model for other faith based groups.
On behalf of the farmer co-operatives, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Equal Exchange, we thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to help reduce hunger and poverty for small farmers. By working together we make each other stronger.
Yours in faith, Melanie Hardison Susan Sklar Presbyterian Hunger Program Equal Exchange
