“Awe Sum Organics offers Organic and Fair Trade USA Certified fruit! We feel it is important to give back to the local communities that are involved in growing, harvesting, packing, and shipping our Awe Sum Organic fruit. Since 2015, through the sale of our Awe Sum Organic Fair Trade and Fair for Life Certified fruit, over $1.4 million US dollars have been collected by Awe Sum Organics and distributed back to the local communities where our organic fruit is produced,” said David Posner, President, CEO and Founder of Awe Sum Organics.
From the sales of Awe Sum Organic’s Fair Trade Certified organic grapes, apples, and pears so far from January 2020 through April 2021 we have collected over $88,000 US dollars in Fair Trade Community Development Funds to be sent back to the local communities and workers in our supply chains to invest into projects to address their needs and improve their lives. This will also help manage the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic such as funding for PPE, healthcare personnel, families in quarantine and other vital services.
It is difficult to imagine the impact of that many US dollars in the local communities on Peru, Argentina, and Chile where US dollars have so much value. By purchasing Awe Sum Organics Fair Trade Certified products, our customers and consumers are contributing valuable funds to community projects focused on expanding access to education, health services, sanitation facilities and other critical community infrastructure.
The Fair for Life and Fair Trade premiums that Awe Sum Organics has collected from the sales of our organic Peruvian grapes has raised money for building roads, a church, and infrastructure improvements such as running water, and the designing and building of a preschool, an elementary school, and a high school. Donations of computers and computer training to children and workers were greatly appreciated by the community. Families are now able to work while knowing that their young children are well taken care of during working hours. While in late 2019 Awe Sum Organics transitioned our Fair Trade and sustainability program from Fair for Life to Fair Trade USA, we are well positioned to continue supporting the Community Development funds through both the increased sales of our organic grapes from Peru, and our continued collection of Fair Trade premiums on their behalf.
Fair Trade premiums collected by Awe Sum Organics from the sale of organic apples and organic grapes grown and harvested in Peru and Chile have gone to support the local community through food donations, contributions to the Teletón rehabilitation foundation, providing shoes for children, and paying medical expenses to support workers.
In Argentina, the Fair Trade premiums that Awe Sum Organic has collected from the sales of organic pears has gone to the development social projects such as a generous donation to General Roca Hospital, purchasing school supplies, food drives, and help with medical expenses.
Since 2004, the Fair Trade Certified produce program has generated over $56 million in Community Development funds that farm workers invested into projects such as education, healthcare, housing improvements, infrastructure and more. Since 1998 Fair Trade Certified producers have collected $465 million in Community Development Funds.
Fair Trade USA ensures a Social Premium of $.02-$.05/ lb of the sales price (depending on the type of fruit) is returned to the worker community for all Fair Trade Certified fruit that is packed and sold as Fair Trade. Each worker community elects a committee that decides what qualifying projects the Social Premium will be used for each year. The criteria for qualifying projects are structured to directly improve worker livelihood.
For more information:
Awe Sum Organics
Tel: (831) 462-2244
Email: [email protected]