Global Village Peoria - Blog

Baby Steps

5/27/2020

Governor Pritzker has given the word: We will be reopening May 29th. We have been studying the guidelines and preparing Global Village and our volunteers for retail in the age of Covid-19.

We are not your typical gift store. We are part of the Fair Trade network that supports artisans and small farmers in the developing world. Fair Trade guarantees a living wage for so many talented, creative, hard-working men and women and provides a bonus for social development--for schools and health clinics, housing and economic development. We've seen their faces, we've read and listened to their stories.

So, back to work we go! Starting Friday, May 29, we will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 1-5pm. Customers and staff will be expected to wear masks and practice social distancing in the shop. We have stocked up on coffee and chocolate. We have gifts for Father's Day, and yes, we will soon have Fair Trade masks for purchase.

A Global Village Gift Certificate for Mom

5/2/2020

Mother's Day is May 10th. There is still time to honor Mom with a gift certificate from Global Village. Call us at the shop and leave a message on the answering machine (we will be checking it!), contact Nancy directly, or send us a message on Facebook. We can send out a gift certificate for any amount you like.
https://www.facebook.com/GlobalVillagePeoria/

Missing You

4/20/2020

Dear Fair Traders,

The world is reeling from this Covid-19 pandemic. Like most of the businesses in America, we are closed until further notice. This is a tough time for retailers, and an even tougher time for the Fair Trade farmers and artisans who had so few resources to start with. We will try to keep you posted on ways you can still help our trading partners.

First up, we are eager to help the artisans in Thailand who make these clever, whimsical string dolls. We jumped at the opportunity to join Kamibashi's Drop Ship for Smiles Program. These keychains are sure to brighten the day of friends or family members. Order directly from Kamibashi; they will ship to you or your loved ones.

Small Business Saturday with Girls Empo

11/24/2018

Shop Small Business Saturday at Global Village and give back to Girls Empo. Once again we are delighted to host a benefit for local not-for-profit Girls Empo. which provides secondary education for girls in Guatamala and builds self-esteem through sports and social activities .ALSO Marcia Henry Liebenow, Concert Master of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra will be playing violin for us between 2:40-3:00 pm. It's going to be an exciting day.

Recent Memories

7/13/2018

This April:
The guest speaker at our Annual Board Meeting 2018: Jackie Corlett, founder of Motif

One of the highlights of our meeting: Jackie helps one of our purchasing board members Wendy Thompson wrap a sari

Also this April we participated in the Eco-Friendly Fashion Show at ICC. Members of SAFE (Student Association for the Environment) rocked the runway in Fair Trade, upcycled, thrift store fashions.
Left: ICC International Student Club members Kathy Pinnock and Makayla Collins wearing Global Village sarongs.
Right: Global Village board members Nancy Long and Tracy Fox with SAFE Student Advisors Kirsten Jacobson Flex and Jenn Baer

Sweet 16!

7/10/2018

Sixteen years of offering Fair Trade products in Central Illinois...and you made that happen! Thank you to our loyal customers, thank you to our faithful volunteers. Thank you to our amazing vendors, who have brought beautiful craft items and tasty food products from around the world. Thank you to the media and the socially conscious organizations in Central Illinois who have supported our mission.

Help us celebrate this Saturday with music and drumming on the sidewalk, sweet treats, games, and a drawing for a $25 gift certificate. You can stop by Global Village any day this week to enter the drawing, one entry per person, per day.

This week we will share memories of projects and events that you have shared with us.

In 2004-2005 and 2008-2010 you enabled us, through purchases and direct donations, to assist people in Guatemala and Haiti.

Summer Time!

6/7/2018

Wahoo! Join us this Saturday for the 38th Annual Moss Avenue Sale & Festival. The sale gets bigger every year. Look for us at 1301A Moss Ave., 8 am-3pm.

And if that's not your bag, come see us at the shop. Nifty new gifts arriving every day! So if you are shopping for Father's Day, Graduation, or a special wedding or anniversary present, go Fair Trade. And we have greeting cards for all occasions as well. And if the weather holds for us, we might have music on the sidewalk. Y'can never tell.

And that's just the beginning of our summer! Our Sweet 16 Birthday is coming in July. August will find us at Ignite Peoria! and India Fest. And we are planning a big pre-inventory sale!

World Fair Trade Day 2018

5/3/2018

Join us Saturday as we celebrate World Fair Trade Day! Street music, Fair Trade treats, door prizes, and more.

This year we are doing a benefit for the Center for Prevention of Abuse. A portion of our sales will help CFPA fight human trafficking in Central Illinois.

From the May, 2018 issue of Interbusiness Issues

"On January 4, 2018, the Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) was proud to reveal the creation of a new department, Human Trafficking Services, to care for victims of modern-day slavery—those exploited through force, fraud or coercion into involuntary labor or the commercial sex trade. Much like the services CFPA provides to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or elder abuse, we welcome all those looking to live free from violence and abuse, including victims of human trafficking...

"[M]illions of women, men and children around the world—including here in central Illinois—are modern-day slaves. We have seen with certainty that the cruel, inhumane practice of human trafficking is prosperous in Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties. Of the clients we have identified and cared for, just three are foreign-born. Fifteen percent came to us from out-of-state, 10 percent were from the Chicago area, and a full 70 percent are from right here at home, native to central Illinois. Slavery has not ended."

Show your love for Fair Trade, find the perfect gift for Mom or your Graduate, and make Central Illinois a better place to live.

Earth Day Weekend

4/19/2018

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Global Village has three Earth Day events on our schedule. First up: we will be participating in the Eco-Friendly Fashion Show, sponsored by ICC's Student Association for the Environment. In the past we have participated with SAFE in several film events.

The show will be at the East Peoria Campus dining room, starting at 7:30 PM this Friday, April 20. Come and see how to "green" your wardrobe and gifting. Fair Trade items as well as recycled and upcycled fashions will be featured. GV volunteer Jade Allen is an organizer.

On Saturday we will be celebrating Earth Day at Forest Park Nature Center. This is an annual event for us. Shop--Mother's Day and Graduation are just around the corner. Celebrate Mother Nature! Think globally and act locally enjoying fun and informational booths, live music, great local food, a kids area and more!

And we will also be at ICC's International Fair. Phew! This is also an annual event for us, and we are delighted to participate. ICC's international Students celebrate their cultures with food and music and entertainment. This year the fair is at the Peoria Campus on North University.

Free Trade vs Fair Trade

2/9/2018

We've all been there: that moment when someone on TV or someone in the room confuses Free Trade and Fair Trade. We all recognize the error, immediately open our mouths to respond...and find the confusion is infectious!

This video from Fair World Project is clear, concise, and quotable. And if you feel uplifted...

Take Action: Tell Chocolate Mega Company: Keeping Farmers in Poverty is Not OK.