Why fair trade matters: The people behind the product - Part 1

Would you be surprised to learn that fair trade involves much more than simply fair wages? That, at its core, it’s actually about relationships that foster dignity, sustainability, and economic empowerment? Heidi Harms, Manager at Ten Thousand Villages, Abbotsford unpacks what fair trade really means, how it works, and who stands to benefit from it. Explore the power that your dollar has to inspire hope and transform lives, and how small choices—like the coffee you drink—can have lasting and life-changing impact!

Did you know that fair trade involves more than just fair wages? At its core, it’s actually about building sustainable relationships. Behind each product we consume is a product handcrafted by someone with a story. In this episode, Heidi Harms, Manager at Ten Thousand Villages, Abbotsford (BC) unpacks common misconceptions about fair trade, how it works, and who stands to benefit from it. Explore the power that your dollar has to inspire hope and transform lives, and how small choices—like the coffee you drink—can have lasting and life-changing impact! Ten Thousand Villages supports artisans in developing countries by bringing their products and stories to the Canadian market.  Heidi has been involved since 2004 in a number of different capacities, including starting and managing a new store in Montreal. In 2013, MCCBC began overseeing the Langley location and she joined the board and became the manager of the Abbotsford store.Tune in for part 2 of this important conversation as we talk about addiction, faith, and the power of being present.

What if the opposite of addiction isn’t freedom or sobriety, but connection?Drug addiction is devastating, affecting communities worldwide. But is addiction the problem to be solved, or is there something deeper at play?Dr. Meera Grover, is a Christian and a physician. She started her work in international development and has most recently spent years working on the front lines of the opioid crisis in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and Calgary. With the highest level of addiction medicine training in Canada—and a background in theology—she’s wrestled with the complex ethical questions surrounding substance use, harm reduction, and what it means to offer true hope.In this episode, Dr. Grover shares how her beliefs have been shaped by working in supervised consumption sites and building relationships with those experiencing poverty and addiction. Through these experiences, she’s come to see addiction not as the problem itself, but as a symptom of something deeper: poverty, disconnection, and a longing for belonging.Tune in for part 1 of this eye-opening conversation as we explore addiction, personal faith, and the sacredness found in unexpected places.

with guest Patty-Leigh Thielmann from Food for the Hungry CanadaTurn on your faucet at home. Aren’t you astounded by how water is instantly at your fingertips? How that happens every time you go to the sink? How it’s fresh and clean? How that water doesn’t run dry or make your family sick? It’s actually incredible! Yet, for too many families around the world, access to safe water is still not a reality. Yet, in FH partner communities, the tide is turning!Patty-Leigh Thielmann, VP of International Programs at Food for the Hungry (FH) Canada, highlights how access to clean water can transform lives in profound (and sometimes unexpected!) ways. Clean water is not only essential for health but also foundational for offering hope to families trapped in poverty. While it may seem obvious that clean water sparks a ripple effect of positive change, the details might surprise you. Discover how safe water is creating lasting impact and bringing waves of hope to generations.For more, check out FH Canada's wholistic work - water included! - at fhcanada.org.

with guest Lindsay Machona, Executive Director at Expand HopeHere, they ached to help in a meaningful way. There, they ached for better schools. So, when two communities—at first foreign to each other—came together with a common goal, who stood to benefit the most? Lindsey Machona, the Executive Director of Expand Hope, shares how mutual transformation and lasting change is possible and happening today through the partnership between a community of Canadians at Expand Hope and a community in rural Guatemala. Learn how the lives of Guatemalans and Canadians alike are changing for the better by walking together and focusing on quality education.Recommended Resources:Expand Hope - websiteFH's work in Guatemala - webpageEpisode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Melissa Giles of BC Rent Bank.Rental prices are a hot topic of conversation these days. With increased cost of living and housing shortages, everyone is feeling the pressure. For those living in a low to moderate income bracket, paying the rent can be challenging at the best of times—then when a crisis hits, it can become near impossible. This is where rent banks, an eviction prevention and housing stability resource for renters, can step into the gap.Melissa Giles, Managing Director at BC Rent Bank, explains what rent banks do, who is eligible to access them, and why they can be a critical resource for many Canadians who are struggling to pay rent due to a crisis or change in their situation. Learn how BC Rent Bank helps residents stay in their homes through an empathetic and dignifying process.

with guest Jonathan Papoulidis, VP of External Engagement at Food for the Hungry. Can communities in the world’s most fragile regions, despite constant challenges, not only survive but thrive? In this episode, we’re joined by Jonathan Papoulidis, Vice President of External Engagement at Food for the Hungry, to dive into the power of resilience. Jonathan shares how resilience—through absorptive, adaptive, and transformative strategies—can turn the tide in the fight against poverty. FH partner communities facing instability are building stronger futures, even in the face of crises. Tune in to discover how resilience is the game-changer in ending poverty.Recommended Resources:FH and Resilience - webpageEpisode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Kenzie Watson, Pastor of Children’s Ministries at Lambrick Park ChurchHave you talked to your kids about poverty? Of all the things to teach children, this may be far down your list—too complicated, too jarring for their young minds, and too uncomfortable a topic. But poverty, in your neighbourhood or around the world, is simply unavoidable and we should not shirk helping our kids navigate what they see and hear and experience.Kenzie Watson, Pastor of Children’s Ministries at Lambrick Park Church, shares how we adults often needlessly complicate our responses or avoid talking with kids about poverty. Rather, Kenzie pushes us to start the conversation by sharing with kids why facing poverty is important—it's rooted in our call to generously love our neighbors as Jesus does. Kids get this, and their perspectives can be powerful. You may be surprised at how a child will address solutions to poverty.Recommended Resources:Poverty—No Kidding - curriculum for childrenLambrick Park Church - websiteEpisode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Amie Gartner, a team member of Mission to Many.Do you think it’s better to focus on helping here at home or across borders? Maybe you know this as the “local versus global” debate. Amie Gartner believes we can do both! Amie Gartner, a team member of Mission to Many, an interdenominational church collaboration from southern Alberta, has seen how one focus doesn’t mean ignoring the other. Through Mission to Many’s decade-long partnership with the community of Acul, Guatemala, Amie has seen its families move from being stuck in poverty to having hope for their futures. But it’s also been a reciprocal relationship! Their part in the partnership has deeply impacted herself, their Canadian team, and how they go about helping here in Canada, too.Amie also reflects on how to better "do photography" when on a trip. She experienced the power of putting cameras and phones away while visiting  the community and how this opened up opportunities for even deeper, more meaningful connections.Recommended Resources:Partnership with a community - webpageEpisode hosted by Shelaine.

with guest Jo Swinney of A Rocha International, and author of "A Place at the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality".Talking about creation care and the state of the environment can feel heavy—we’re often left with doom and gloom and no real way forward. But fear not! Jo Swinney, Director of Communications at A Rocha International, is here to inject hope into the discussion. Jo grew up talking about the environment, gardening, and all things green around the dinner table; her parents were the founders of A Rocha, a Christian, environmental stewardship organization. She has experienced the intricate connection between creation care and the Christian faith. In this episode, Jo shares personal stories from her childhood in Portugal, illustrating the importance of community, hospitality, and how creation care is an act of worship. Jo also touches on the pressing issue of how environmental degradation disproportionately affects the poor, underscoring the need for responsible stewardship. Join the conversation as we explore the vital connections between faith, conservation, and community through Jo's inspiring journey and insights.Recommended Resources:A Rocha Canada - websiteA Place at the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality - buy the book Episode hosted by Shelaine.