Alternative Gift Fair features gifts that 'give twice'
From Staff ReportsOriginally published: October 31. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: October 30. 2009 9:29PM
If you like affordable, unique gifts that come with a great story behind them, then the Nov. 8 Alternative Gift Fair at Maryville First United Methodist Church is the place for you. It's a shopping experience where all items for sale benefit a charitable organization.
The fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the upper level fellowship hall, features a collection of gifts from around the world in a single room.
"We have some beautiful gifts that you cannot get anywhere locally," said Kristina Brantley, one of the organizers of the event. "The real beauty of the gifts is that they allow purchasers to 'give twice' because of the nonprofit organizations that sales support."
Brantley said handcrafted items come from locales including Africa, Guatemala and the Holy Land. Additionally, fair trade coffee from Mexico and Peru, olive oil, baked goods, Christmas ornaments, T-shirts, jewelry, stuffed animals, books and gift baskets will be at the fair.
"There will be items in all price ranges, and people will have an opportunity to talk with the vendors and learn about some very worthwhile causes," she said.
Bypass the annual stress of holiday shopping by honoring friends and relatives with donations to causes that fit their values. At the same time you will be providing critical support for a diverse collection of community organizations whose work has local, national, and international reach.
For more information about the gift fair, call Maryville First United Methodist Church at 982-1273.
Gift Fair at a Glance
Vendors, sponsoring non-profit organizations and their wares
Alliance for Youth Achievement
www.allforyouth.org
Items: Paper beads, bags, and scarves from Kenya and Uganda
The mission of The Alliance for Youth Achievement is to improve the quality of life for the poorest and most vulnerable children in Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, with a priority in helping AIDS orphans and street children. AYA provides professional, educational, and financial support to small, African-based schools, orphanages, medical clinics, and income-generating projects.
Samaritan Hands
Items: Woven crafts from Guatemala
The program started in the 1980s to generate income for widows who had lost their husbands in the civil war in Guatemala. The program continues to provide a source of income for women, and also includes a training center for young men, many of them sons of these widows. They learn income-generating skills while receiving a basic education.
Trinity Dental Clinic
www.trinitydentalclinic.org
Items: Jewelry, baked goods
Trinity Dental Clinic focuses on basic dental care for low income / uninsured / under-served adults in Blount County. The emphasis is on emergency and urgent treatment needs.
The Gate
www.gatewaytoindependence.org
Items: Gift baskets, baked goods
The mission of the Gate is to help young adults with disabilities to achieve independence by providing them with vocational training and social activities.
Haven House
www.havenhousetn.org
Items: Fair Trade certified and 100% Organic certified coffee from Mexico and Peru. Gift baskets with coffee and coffee mugs
Haven House is a nonprofit organization in Maryville dedicated to provide support to victims and survivors of domestic violence and education to the community with the hope of preventing future abuse.
Heifer Project
www.heifer.org
Items: Stuffed animals, books
Mission aimed at ending world hunger and poverty by helping families feed themselves. Families that receive from Heifer Project, then pass on their knowledge and offspring from their animals' offspring to others.
Holy Land Artisans
holylandartisans.tripod.com
Items: Hand carved olive wood, embroidery, mother of pearl jewelry, and other handmade items from the Christians of the Bethlehem District, Jerusalem, village of Zababdeh (in the northern West Bank) and the village of Taybeh.
The Bethlehem area is home to one of the few remaining Christian populations in the Holy Land. The artisans of the area desperately need to market their products. This ministry is an attempt to help them while providing customers the opportunity to own a beautiful hand crafted product from the Holy Land.
Family Promise of Blount County
www.blountfamilypromise.org
Items: Bookmarks, bags, T-shirts, pins
Family Promise's goal is to help homeless families find lasting employment and housing. This is accomplished through a network of church congregations within Blount County that provide overnight accommodations and meals to families on a week-to-week basis.
New Hope (Blount County Children's Advocacy Center)
www.discoveret.org/bccac
Items: Christmas ornaments
It is the mission of the New Hope Blount County Children's Advocacy Center to lessen the trauma experienced by the child victim of abuse by providing a child-friendly enter with a warm, home like supportive environment where intervention efforts can be offered to reduce the stress to the abused child and non-offending parent or adult caregiver.
Safe Haven
www.safehavencenter.org
Crisis and recovery center for sexual assault. Safe Haven strives to be a resource that renews a sense of safety, comfort, and hope in the hearts of clients.
Sudan Mission Team
Items: Shirts
Raising money for mission trip to Sudan
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