These congregations use fair-trade coffee:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Unitarian Church of Vancouver

There are now several sources of Fair Trade Coffee available. Most health food stores across Canada stock it and I would make that my first stop in the local search. Don't get concerned if Safeway doesn't have it. There are a lot of good products not stocked by the big supermarket chains though I get surprised sometimes. Some specialty coffee shops have it. Starbucks has had it available for sale for over a year. You may have to ask them to grind it for you though. Don't give up easily, there are many sources out there.

For an example of a small local source, the Voice of Women peace group(email  marionpape@saltspring.com   on Salt Spring Island roast it and have it for sale (All profit goes to the coffee growers in Costa Rica. Marion Pape is a Unitarian, formerly from Halifax, now living on Salt Spring.)

Some sources here in BC are:

Salt Spring Roasting Co.

Salt Spring Island, BC

1-800-332-8858

< www.saltspringroasting.com  >

Ten Thousand Villages

2909 West Broadway

This Mennonite Service Committee store has several different brands of various types of coffees, both ground and beans. Brands in stock include Bridgehead, Salt Spring Roasting and Just Us Coffee from Wolfeville, Nova Scotia. I am sure they have other brands here and in their other stores back east.

The three Capers Natural Food Stores in Vancouver have several brands including their own house brand in stock along with a grinding machine for the beans. Their rivals, the five Choices stores also stock it all. The Whole Foods chain, which is really big in the US, has a new store in Toronto and is in the process of opening its second Canadian store in North Vancouver which will also be a good source. Many upscale food shops also stock it.

John Taylor, Vancouver

PS, Vancouver UC serves Fair Trade Coffee at coffee hour and other events.

South Fraser Unitarian Congregation (Surrey, BC)

South Fraser Unitarian Congregation has been using Fair Trade, Organic, Shade Tree, Bird Friendly Coffee, Tea, Cocoa and Hot Chocolate at coffee hour for many years now. We also use it as a minor fundraiser in order to raise awareness in the community. A word of caution, some Fairly Traded goods are more fairly traded than others. Feel free to contact me for further information.

Debi Simmie sjchair@canada.com
Chair-Social Justice Committee

South Fraser Unitarian Congregation

ALBERTA

Westwood Unitarian Congregation (Edmonton, AB)

I'd be happy to post my research on a website or e-mail list for others to use. I did research on local & national levels and ended up buying ours from a couple of local stores. For the national companies we needed to order in bulk to make it worthwhile. Lindsay McWhirter

The program which Bean Runners (Leslie Ellis, 780-455-8858) offers congregations is, when members collectively order coffee for their own personal use through the church, it will be delivered to the church during the week prior to Sunday services.  If as a group, there are ten or more pounds purchased, one dollar per pound is donated back to the church.  If twenty or more pounds are purchased, two dollars per pound is donated back to the church.  In addition, Bean Runners will supply coffee to the church at a wholesale price for its use during various social and business functions

This program offers convenience while giving something back to the church.

Westwood in Edmonton has been using Fair Trade Coffee (and now tea) since Earth Day 2000.    I initially purchased from Ten Thousand Villages but their coffee isn't certified fair trade by the national organization Transfair Canada which is the only independent certifying agency in Canada.  Their website is www.transfair.ca  I want to support this type of organization so we are sure our products are really fair trade and not from a  group who might call it fair trade but have different standards than I would agree with.  Besides, they have a sticker on every package that is easy to spot when I'm shopping..

 Consequently I have purchased it from various outlets but have settled on Earth's General Store on Whyte Avenue.  They  give a discount for churches and probably would give a bigger discount on bulk purchases.  They have a couple of brands we like and I like to support EGS because of all the environmental and social justice work they do.

 It's also available at The Big Fresh on Jasper Ave., Organic Roots in the University area and Planet Organic on Calgary Trail.  Food for Health (formerly Excel Foods) across the street from Westwood doesn't carry it but I'm working on them).  I have also found it at Wildbird General Store on 99 St., The Bagel Tree on Whyte Ave. and Bistro 112 on the corner of 112 St and Jasper Ave.  Some Save-on-Foods and Safeways also carry it.

 I found it harder to find Fair Trade tea but some of the Health Food Stores carry Choice Organic Tea which has some of the flavours certified Fair Trade (carry the Transfair sticker).  I found lots of herbal teas that are certified fair trade or are made in Canada at Organic Roots.

 I hope this info helps other Unitarian Universalists move to using Fair Trade products in their Churches as well as their homes and offices.  My opinion is that we need to put our money where our mouth is, despite the fact that it may be a bit more expensive or slightly more inconvenient.  I joined this church because of it's principles and I feel we need to live them and not just talk them.  I applaud the CUC (Mary) for spearheading this movement.  Lindsay McWhirter

ONTARIO

Don Heights Unitarian Fellowship

Don Heights uses organic fair trade coffee. We buy it from Olympic Coffee, a coffee wholesaler and roaster. I pick up coffee for any members who let me know they want some. I buy the coffee ground and as whole bean coffee and they have a good selection of regular and decaffeinated beans. They supply beans from a number of different countries and in a range of different roasts.

The price varies up and down slightly but is usually around $7:00 a pound. I also supply our members with a list of fair trade coffee retailers and cafes in the Toronto area

Tom Brown

Elora-Fergus UU Church

The Elora-Fergus Church is committed to using fair trade coffee and we advertise the fact from the social action committee.

Jim Sannes, Social Action Committee, Elora-Fergus Unitarian-Universalist Church

Unitarian Fellowship of London

We have served Fair Trade coffee at coffee hour for years.  It's ordered from the U.S. as we seem to get the best price there. Last year we held a fair trade coffee house in October to encourage people to buy fair trade coffee for their own use.  We had a speaker who had travelled and worked with coffee farmers in Central America, and a local purveyor of fair trade coffee attended as well.  We sold her coffee after the Sunday service until late in January, but sales were really slow as I think the price was too high for most people.  The American coffee is available for sale to those who want it and we have made people aware of where they can go to buy the locally roasted fair trade coffee if they want to.  (I pick it up at the market on days when I am standing with the Women in Black in silent vigil.) 

At our upcoming coffee house we will be playing a fair trade game made up by university students involved in Oxfam.  After we've tested it, I'll be sure to publicize it through the listserv. 

Beth Guthrie

UU Fellowship of Ottawa

The UU Fellowship of Ottawa uses fair trade, organically grown coffee and we encourage our members to buy fair trade coffee for personal use.

Last year we had a number of educational/fun events about fair trade coffee issues. We had a speaker in to discuss the history and role of TransFair Canada. We also had a potluck "coffee house" a la 60's. In addition to the jazz music, love beads and poetry, we had a short play developed by the Ten Days for World Development group some years ago. It's easy and fun to do and brings home to all of us the challenges of the coffee farmer in the current international trading system. I think it really helped some of our members see the importance of paying a little more for coffee each Sunday. The play is accessible on the internet and I have downloaded a transcript and would be happy to send it to anyone who contacts me at < mkuhn@istar.ca >

Marilynn Kuhn

Lakehead Unitarian Fellowship (Thunder Bay)

Here at Lakehead Unitarian, we purchase fair trade organic coffee that has been locally roasted in Thunder Bay.  We sell it to our members by the pound. Sometimes, when it is delivered, it is still warm.  We negotiated a deal with the seller and get a discount on the coffee we sell to our members ... enough to cover the cost of what we drink at church on Sunday mornings.  It's good coffee and everyone feels good about supporting fair trade.

Jean Armstrong

QUEBEC

Unitarian Church of Montreal

We buy Fair Trade coffee at the Unitarian Church of Montreal. There are many places in Montreal where it is available. It smaller communities congregations can always order from:

Just Us Coffee Roasters Co-op in Wolfville NS Call 1-888-NOT-THEM

(668-8436), or order on-line at www.justuscoffee.com 

OR

Café San Miguel coffee from Level Ground Trading Ltd. in Victoria, BC

Call 1-888-565-6633 or order on-line at www.Levelground.com 

Alison Hall, Social and Environmental Concerns Committee