Tweet, Post, Flick and Link - Join our social networking!

Hey ABF fans! Guess what? We're cool now...Join us on MySpace, LinkedIn, Follow us on Twitter, Watch our YouTube videos and browse our Flickr photo albums. As if that weren't enough, check out our special auctions on eBay and fair trade arts store on Etsy. That way, you'll know everything about us, what we're doing and how we're doing it...Ok, that sounds creepy. But remember, all in the name of a great cause - promoting FAIR TRADE! So click some blue text above and get networking...!

2009 Unity Bead Challenge: Creativity With A Cause!

GREEN BAY, WI - Jewelry makers, bead enthusiasts and amateur designers across Wisconsin will head to area bead stores this weekend as the 2009 Unity Bead Challenge Kits are now available. The 2009 Unity Bead Challenge is a "Contest with a Conscience" that brings together people across the globe - literally from women beadmakers in Africa to area youth at The Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay. Volunteers helping to organize the event are already saying that this is the "most exciting summer project ever!" as it combines environmentalism and social responsibility with creativity and fashion.

WHO: While we expect many area designers and jewelry makers to participate, anyone is eligible to take part in the 2009 Unity Bead Challenge

HOW: Participants will be challenged to use recycled, handmade beads from Africa to create a piece of jewelry before August 15th, and have the opportunity to win up to $250 in cash or prizes. The final pieces will be judged by a local panel in September, and the pieces will be auctioned off with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay Youth for Unity Program. Contest FAQ and entry forms can be found online at ABetterFootprint.org/unitybeadchallenge

WHERE: 2009 Unity Bead Challenge Kits can be purchased at 4 area bead and gift shops, and online at abetterfootprint.com:
A Better Footprint, 1228 Main Street, Green Bay
The Mother Bead, 419 Dousman Street, Green Bay
Paintin' Pottery and Bead It, 520 George Street, De Pere
The Bead Bucket, 9922 Water Street (Hwy. 42), Ephraim, Door County

WHEN: Kits go on sale beginning May 28, 2009. Contest entries are due no later than August 15th, 2009. Judging, auction and showcase will take place during Gallery Nite in Downtown Green Bay on September 17, 2009. Pieces will also be showcased and sold at a variety of area events this autumn.

WHY: Every day, hundreds of beads are traded on the global market. While many beads are mass-produced in low-wage third world factories, the growing Fair Trade movement is changing that trend-and the lives of poor African beadmakers, used to living on less than $2 per day. These Africans, many of whom are women, aim to lift themselves from poverty through fair trade, and are simultaneously caring for the environment by using natural or recycled materials to create fresh new designs for the bead industry. Organizers of the Unity Bead Challenge are asking the community to join this movement of unity and create something great using African Fair Trade Beads.

Specifically, the 2009 "Unity Bead Challenge" is a project with three aims:

1) To assist impoverished fair trade beadmakers from Africa and promote their handmade,
eco-friendly beads,

2) To inspire and challenge local adults and youth as they create unique pieces of jewelry from ethically sourced and created eco-friendly/fair trade beads, and

3) To raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay Youth for Unity Program, which helps area youth embrace diversity and engage in multicultural projects that help unify our world.


More information can be obtained by calling or emailing event organizer Sarah Jane Nordhaugen at the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, snordhaugen@bgcgb.org or 920-494-7090 or visiting the Unity Bead Challenge Website at ABetterFootprint.org/unitybeadchallenge.

ABOUT YOUTH FOR UNITY
Youth for Unity is a program of the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, in which pre-teen to young adults participate in hands-on activities related to multiculturalism, global friendships, and tolerance of diversity. Headed by Sarah Jane Nordhaugen, Art and Music Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, Youth for Unity is already proving to be an international learning experience for the youth who take part.

With the proceeds earned through this summer's 2009 Unity Bead Challenge, the students will make the decision about a global project in which to invest the funds raised. Currently, the kids are looking at the possibility of building clean water systems for school children in Africa.


ABOUT A BETTER FOOTPRINT
A Better Footprint is Green Bay's first fair trade & eco-friendly gifts retailer and wholesaler, offering products from over 20 countries. Each product comes with a story of hope for a family or group of individuals who are overcoming poverty or who face other challenging circumstances.

A Better Footprint is a screened member of the Fair Trade Federation and Green America, pledging high standards for social and environmental responsibility. Owners Miranda and Baptiste Paul were both recipients of the Green Bay Chamber of Commerce's "40 under 40" award and Miranda Paul has been nominated for the Ethics in Business Award Individual category this year as well.

For more information, please visit www.abetterfootprint.org to learn more about the projects and mission of A Better Footprint.

Come on Over, the Coffee's Free - WTFD is May 9th

Join us This Saturday, May 9th, for FREE Organic Coffee and Chocolate at A Better Footprint. In honor of World Fair Trade Day 2009, we're serving up the residents of Northeastern Wisconsin as we take a Fair Trade Break. This effort is part of the movement to break last year's record and to be more than 55,000 strong for Fair Trade. Make sure to join the movement on Facebook, too!

The free coffee will be served from 10-2 at A Better Footprint Fair Trade, 1228 Main Street Green Bay. You'll also get to see our new BOLGA BASKETS that have finally arrived from Ghana! Call Miranda at 920-569-6332 if you have more questions. See you in the store!

Oh - and if you're not from Wisconsin, make sure to check out where in your area a WFTD event is happening at ftrn.org.

Gambian Project Manager Isatou Ceesay Visits US

Meet One Amazing Fair Trade artisan and Project Manager working for Women's Empowerment!

Isatou Ceesay's life has been one of trial and suffering, but through it all she's proven that one person can make a difference.

Losing her father at the age of 9, Isatou's mother worked very hard to try and provide an education, but Isatou wasn't even able to finish high school. Later in life, Isatou became a victim of domestic violence and shunned by many traditionalists for her decision to save her life as she left her husband and raised two boys as a single mother.

Despite these and other hardships, Isatou is now one of the leaders of many progressive projects in The Gambia, where she has worked to improve the health of hundreds of Gambian women and children through her work. To date, Isatou has contributed to the clean-up efforts which have led to recycling of more than 20,000 plastic bags in her village, as well as running grassroots HIV/AIDS education classes attended by thousands of Gambians. She has pioneered literacy classes for the women of Njau and trained over 100 women in four villages the skills needed to create fair trade crafts which provide vital income for extremely impoverished Gambian families. (Currently, A Better Footprint is the only fair trade US importer of the goods created by these women.)

Most notably, perhaps, is her ability to educate about and eradicate one of the country's most controversial practices, female genital mutilation (FGM). This cultural practice, also known as female circumcision, is widespread in The Gambia, and provides severe health risks and even death for the women who are forced to undergo the procedure. Because of Isatou's efforts, 15 tribal practitioners of this ritual have agreed to stop completely this practice in their villages. One cannot begin to count the number of young girls who will not have to suffer because of Isatou's willingness to take on such a difficult task. We encourage all of our supporters to learn more about FGM and how to take action to stop this harmful tradition.

Over the last week and for the next three weeks, Isatou is traveling around the country speaking to anyone and everyone about her work, most of which is as an unpaid volunteer. She has already visited cities such as Santa Fe, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Green Bay, New York and St. Mary's City. If you live in the Atlanta or Minneapolis area and are interested in meeting Isatou before April 25th, please email us at abetterfootprint@gmail.com for details!

When you purchase Njau Recycling and Income Generating Group products, you contribute to Isatou's efforts, which are also carried out by the 70 women of Njau. Now that's powerful shopping. Thanks!

Could Green Bay Be The Next Fair Trade Town?

Miranda & Baptiste Paul have begun the groundwork for making Green Bay an official Fair Trade Town. On Thursday, Miranda spoke to the Mayor's Sustainable Task Force, who agreed to review a statement of support for the campaign and will be reaching out to community members who may wish to join our committee. We will meet with Mayor Jim Schmitt this week to provide an initial overview of our goals and to rally political support for the movement.

We are compiling a list of area churches, schools, businesses, and organizations who currently sell, use, or promote Fair Trade Products. If your business or place of employment/worship is one of those area organizations, please contact us so we can include your name and information on our master list of area Fair Trade Supporters! That way, people looking to support Fair Trade will know to visit you, and we can all work together toward a common goal of educating more people about the value of Fair Trade.

If you or someone from your organization would like to join our committee and help make Fair Trade a household name in the greater Green Bay area, please call us at 920-569-6332 or email abetterfootprint@gmail.com

To learn more about the national Fair Trade Towns USA campaign, visit FairtradetownsUSA.org!

Food for Change Drive Continues

We're still collecting food until Feb. 17th! Thank you for filling (overfilling, actually) both collection bins at our store. Donations from the food drive are going to support local food pantries, both urban and rural.

And remember, you get 15% off one item in the store with each non-perishable item donated!!! (we know that's not why you donate, but it's a nice perk).

Food For Change Drive and MLK Day Celebration to Take Place at A Better Footprint in Green Bay

Besides hosting a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Inauguration Celebration at their multicultural store this year, A Better Footprint owners Miranda and Baptiste Paul will now be participating in "Food For Change." Special bins placed at their downtown store (1228 Main, Green Bay), will collect food donations for local pantries, many of whose patrons are in great need this year due to the economic climate and harsh weather conditions.

The food drive will kick off on National Day of Service (Jan. 19), and the Paul's are hoping to increase awareness of the drive by encouraging attendees to their Martin Luther King, Jr & Inauguration Celebration to bring a food donation to the free event on Sat., Jan. 24th. This event will feature free music, open mic, African and multicultural drumming, and even Caribbean-inspired dance lessons. The drive will officially wrap up at A Better Footprint on February 17th.

Last year, the Pauls sponsored a shoe drive, raising over 900 pair of shoes primarily for schoolchildren in West Africa. "We were amazed by the generosity of people in our community to donate to international causes," noted Miranda Paul. "So we're glad we can also contribute to a local need this year."

In November, they hosted an International Potluck Dinner and served over 70 people, and hope the turnout to this month's event is even higher. "We hope to have even more people attend our MLK Day celebration," says Baptiste Paul, "We try to make these events free to the public, so that residents and families from all income levels can take part in a free day of fun activities that have a meaningful purpose."

MORE ABOUT THE JAN. 24th MLK DAY/INAUGURATION CELEBRATION EVENT
Download a Flyer Here
EVENT TITLE: MLK DAY & INAUGURATION FESTIVAL
EVENT COST: No Cost, Please bring a non-perishable food item
EVENT DATE: Saturday, January 24th, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
(Guatemalan coffee tasting, 9-10 a.m., Open Mic - 9:30-10:30am, 10:30-11:30 Dancing Spectators, 11:30-12:30 Jana Holland Music Concert, 12:30-1:30 Caribbean-inspired dance lessons, 1:30-2:30 Multicultural Drumming).
EVENT LOCATION: A Better Footprint, Olde Town Crossing, 1228 Main Street, Green Bay
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A celebration of American cultures, heritage and unity
FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT: Miranda or Baptiste Paul, 920-569-6332
RSVP: An RSVP is not necessary for this event