06 Oct 2004

CHICAGO — Millions of Lutherans across the U.S. met and exceeded the challenge to purchase 90 tons of "fairly traded" coffee this year, according to an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) news release. Through "Pour Justice to the Brim: The 90-Ton Challenge," Lutherans purchased 99 tons of coffee as of Oct. 1.

In October 2003, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran World Relief and Equal Exchange, a U.S. worker-owned, fair-trade organization, started the 90-Ton Challenge to encourage Lutherans to buy fair-trade coffee, direct attention to the fair-trade process and help farmers around the world finance their coffee production.

A "main point that we wanted to embrace [with the challenge was] to raise awareness of the fair-trade process and explore what fair trade means to the people who produce coffee," said Nancy J. Goldberger, editor of Lutheran Woman Today, the magazine where the 90-Ton Challenge was first announced.

According to the ELCA, more than 20 million coffee farmers around the world struggle to make a simple living and maintain adequate health care and education for their children. One way Lutherans have supported and continue to support coffee farmers is by purchasing quality coffee directly from farmers in a process called "fair trade."

"We also wanted to get people interested, involved and use dollars that they spend for coffee to be channeled through a fair and equitable system that not only provides a good product but directly benefits the people who produce coffee, so that they might have a quality of living that is more acceptable," Goldberger said.

"The 90-Ton Challenge has been wonderful and educational, and the energy behind it has been great," she said. "I want to encourage people to sustain this effort, to make fair trade a part of their home, congregation and even work, encouraging businesses to support fair trade."

Goldberger traveled to El Salvador and met with a group of coffee farmers and their families in January 2003. A purpose of the trip "was to learn about El Salvador — the people, the history and the current situation. We met with fair trade cooperatives and coffee farmers from Los Colinas to El Pinal, hearing their stories, struggles and hopes," she said.

"The 90-Ton Challenge has generated so much involvement across Women of the ELCA, sparking awareness of buying habits and driving women to explore fair trade issues," said Linda Post Bushkofsky, executive director, Women of the ELCA. "Women in this church have responded to their baptismal call to strive for peace and justice in all the earth, offering a strong public witness of their faith," she said.

As a follow-up to "Pour Justice to the Brim," the December issue of Lutheran Woman Today will include a special six-page section that highlights the influence of the challenge on people in the United States, and how becoming aware of fair trade has changed their lives.