July 24: A Million Hearts for Haiti
A Nationwide Fair Trade Movement to Rebuild Haitian Artisan Communities
Join us Saturday July 24, 11-4pm
at the Global Exchange San Francisco and Berkeley stores.
Come check out handmade hearts pieced together from recycled plastics, cut from recycled oil barrels and carved from river stones in Haiti, sold in support of the “Million Hearts” program, which aims to generate an estimated $1,000,000 to benefit Haitian artisans.
This nationwide Fair Trade movement will get much-needed commerce flowing through Haiti’s culturally and economically important artisan businesses. In addition, a portion of the purchase price of each heart is donated to the HAND/EYE Fund’s Artisan Grant program. The program, which is already assessing the needs of artisan businesses on the ground in Haiti, gives cash grants between $50 and $2000 to artisan businesses who apply for funds to replace earthquake-shattered equipment and shelter, or other assistance needed as a result of the devastating January 12 disaster.
The stone hearts, available at Global Exchange are made in the Haitian town of Leogane, located very near the quake’s epicenter. The town was leveled in the quake. Since then, nearly 13,000 hearts have been produced and shipped to the US. Through the purchase of these hearts, $15,000 has already gone to build shelters for the stone artisans of Leogane. As of May, 10 temporary homes had been constructed.
Come support Haiti’s hands and hearts at work!
Global Exchange Fair Trade San Francisco Store
4018 24th Street (near Noe)
San Francisco CA 94114 (map)
415.648.8068
Global Exchange Fair Trade Berkeley Store
2840 College Ave (Between Russell St. and Stuart St.)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (map)
510.548.0370
image: hand/eye/blog.