I went to grad school in Brattleboro, Vermont, and I was thrilled when I heard that I was living in an official Fair Trade Town. But to be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. What does it take to be a Fair Trade Town?
Fair Trade Towns USA is an initiative of TransFair USA, the Fair Trade Federation, and the Fair Trade Resource Network that encourages community activists to organize fair trade campaigns at the local level. The process for becoming a Fair Trade Town, City, or Community consists of meeting five criteria designed to establish a recognized presence in the community for long-term outreach and advocacy for Fair Trade:
1. Form a steering committee2. Outreach to area retailers and ensure enough fair trade shopping options
3. Engage the community
4. Gain media attention
5. Pass a Fair Trade Resolution
You can learn more about making your town a Fair Trade Town here. GREAT NEWS!! Grants at the $500, $1000, and $5000 levels are available to help launch or grow your Fair Trade Town campaign. See the Fair Trade Towns USA Small Grants Program FAQ and the Fair Trade Towns USA Small Grants Proposal Guidelines for more info.
There are currently 17 Fair Trade Towns in the US.
Media, PA – June 2006
Brattleboro, VT – June 2007
Milwaukee, WI – October 2007
Amherst, MA – November 2007
Taos, NM – March 2008
Northampton, MA – April 2008
San Francisco, CA – May 2008
Montclair, NJ — October 2008
Ballston Spa, NY — January 2009
Chico, CA — February 2009
Bluffton, OH — May 2009
Burlington, VT– August 2009
Highland Park, NJ — September 2009
Buena Vista, CO — March 2010
Red Bank, NJ — April 2010
Madison, WI — May 2010
Norman, OK — May 2010
Get involved and make your town a Fair Trade Town!