Alternative Gift Market at First, Stillwater
Thinking about gifts you can give to your loved ones? Perhaps gift cards to their favorite places to shop or eat? Or popular mass-manufactured items? Wait, there’s an alternative! Shop for gifts that give by fairly compensating artisans in developing nations. Shop for gifts that give by providing for people’s basic needs of food, shelter, and medical care. Shop for Gifts that Give at the 14th Annual Alternative Gift Market open Saturday, November 21 from 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday, November 22 from 9 am -1 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, 6201 Osgood Ave N.
At the Market, you will discover fairly-traded handicrafts, foods, toys, clothing and more!
Sale of these products promotes social and economic progress both here and abroad.
Vendors include African Team Ministries, Bead for Life, Friends of Africa, Global Crafts, I Love A Parade, Marketplace Handwork of India, Partners for Just Trade, Red Lake Nation Foods, SERRV International, Turkish Scarf Project, White Earth Land Recovery Project, and Women’s Bean Project.
You can also choose gifts of donations to non-profit organizations with established track records of helping people and the environment. For the cost of a video game you could provide blankets to a family of five displaced by a disaster. For the price of a pound of gourmet coffee you could provide seeds and tools to an impoverished farm family trying to feed themselves. Honor friends and family with donations to causes that fit their values! Organizations represented include Church World Service, Common Hope, Compatible Technology International, East Metro Birthday Bags, Habitat for Humanity, Heifer Project, Medical Benevolence Foundation and Valley Outreach.
Need a gift bag for your chosen gift? You can purchase eco-friendly, reusable fabric gift bags of all sizes and for all occasions. A staggering $5 billion worth of gift wrap is tossed in the trash each year. Reusable gift bags save natural resources and money too.
All proceeds from the sale of gift bags will go to the East Metro Women’s Council, assisting low-income and homeless families working toward self-sufficiency.
Gifts that Give are perfect for teachers, co-workers, relatives and friends. Cash or checks will be accepted. Enjoy homemade treats on both days and a simple soup lunch on Saturday. For more information, go to www.fpc-stillwater.org . See you at the Market!
