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Selling for Change: How One Parent is Making a Difference |
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Kelsie Evans, Fundraising Program Coordinator
 After writing letters to her children's school two years in a row to protest the lack of integrity in the school's fundraising program, Kim Browning of Lexington, Ky., decided to take her passion and do something about it.
She ran for and won a seat on the Parent-Teacher Association as the fundraising organizer. In her new role, Browning quickly began telling other parents about the benefits of a Fair Trade fundraising program. Most people didn't know about Fair Trade, but with coffee and chocolate samples, combined with Browning's enthusiasm for Fair Trade, she gained support among the parents. "They all agreed that the prices were competitive and the products were things that people normally use (no cactus-shaped salsa holders)," she said. Browning was surprised when PTA members even started suggesting additional ways to "spread the educational message" that Browning hadn't yet considered.
With the PTA's support, Browning began educating the rest of Stonewall Elementary on Equal Exchange's fundraising program. She visited classrooms at the school, encouraged all the teachers to show the Equal Exchange video, put copies of a Fair Trade book in the library, wrote letters for the newsletter, and created a display case in the school entry way. Her fifth grade son even created a Fair Trade crossword puzzle. Soon the whole family was involved in Fair Trade advocacy! "I am really hoping to make this successful for our school, Equal Exchange, and all those amazing farmers and families around the world," Browning said as the fundraiser started up.
Not only did the school go on to sell $12,000 of Equal Exchange products - supporting coffee, tea and cacao farmers worldwide - but this project also helped educate her community about Equal Exchange and Fair Trade. Although $12,000 is less than the $32,000 the school previously sold with traditional fundraising efforts, many agreed it was better. Whereas few families were familiar with Fair Trade before the fundraiser, Browning thinks she "[has] begun to change that, and will continue to do so, in [her] corner of Lexington."
She received much positive feedback following the fundraiser, including from her own children. "My middle son thanked me again for doing this fundraiser," Browning said. "He has really internalized the importance of Fair Trade. He will not eat some of the Halloween candy he received because it is from companies who do not support Fair Trade. Wow! He is seven years old. We are changing the world!" If her son is any indication, Browning's countless hours tallying orders, coordinating volunteer help, and even dealing with an ordering mistake that ended up delivering all 25 boxes of products to her doorstep instead of the school – was all worth it in the end.
Building on the understanding and interest generated in the fundraiser, Browning's school will participate in a pen pal project between students at Stonewall Elementary and children of CONACADO co-operative cacao farmers in the Dominican Republic. Browning will also visit the Dominican Republic in April on an Equal Exchange sponsored trip.
Learn how to get your school involved in the Equal Exchange fundraising program.
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