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St. Mary's parish in Crescent has been helping the environment through fair-trade coffee sales for an impressive 15 years.

Twice a month, the parish's Building Bridges committee sells coffee it buys from a cooperative in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. The parishioners note that buying directly from small growers in developing countries ensures that farmers receive a just wage and keep their jobs and land; it also allows farmers in those countries to use organic growing methods and protects local ecosystems.

"It's going to help the sustenance farmer," said Santa Orlando, co-chair of Building Bridges. "They're not the one with the factories doing the most pollution."

The coffee arrives at St. Mary's wrapped in tinfoil and placed in a canvas bag. The parish sends the canvas bags back to be reused.

St. Mary's sends 100 percent of the proceeds from the coffee sales to its two sister parishes, San Pedro Jocopilas and San Bartolome Jocotenango, both located in Quiche, Guatemala. Groups of Crescent parishioners often visit there; a half-dozen parishioners will make the trip in August.

The U.S. economy has affected sales, but St. Mary's still sells about 10 17-ounce bags of coffee each month.

"Everyone knows things are tough, but things are tougher there," Ms. Orlando said.

To keep parishioners mindful of those needs, St. Mary's displays scrapbooks from Guatemala trips, posts a bulletin board of information and prints articles about Guatemalan culture in the parish bulletin. "We don't push it, but it's there," Ms. Orlando said.

The coffee now sells at $11 per bag - up from $7 when they started selling. It's more expensive than store-brand coffee, "but I think that they realize the good work that they're doing buying the coffee," said Joan Everitt, a Building Bridges member who places the orders. "It does help people who really need help."

Plus, "it's delicious," Ms. Orlando said. "You taste the richness and the flavor.

"I do drink other coffees, but I think as a whole, the parish is into promoting fair trade," she continued. "I can afford to buy both and not be a snob about it."

The San Lucas Toliman growers do not harvest decaf coffee, but St. Mary's orders it from another fair-trade cooperative. To order, call 371-9632. For information on the cooperative, visit www.juananacoffee.com. Other Albany Diocese parishes and groups purchase coffee from the same cooperative. Others use Equal Exchange (www. equalexchange.coop/) and TransFair USA (http://transfairusa. org).[[In-content Ad]]

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