Bridges of Hope Fair Trade Gift Shop
The Bridges of Hope Gift Shop in Mount Vernon offers unique, handcrafted gifts from all over the world, each with its own compelling story.
Bridges of Hope is a member of the Fair-Trade Federation. Fair trade is a social movement that helps artisans and farmers in developing countries get paid a fair price for their work and ensure social and environmentally friendly working conditions. As an FTF member, Bridges of Hope continually undergoes a rigorous screening process to ensure adherence to Fair Trade principles.
Items for sale include decorative art, jewelry, bags, baskets, carved figurines, nativity scenes, coffees and chocolates, and much more. Countries of origin include Ecuador, Nicaragua, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Guatemala, Kenya, India, Nepal, and Vietnam, among others.
“We try to let customers know where everything came from and who made them,” says Nancy Case, retired board member, volunteer, and buyer. “We try include a lot of info with the items,” she says. “It adds interest to shopping, and people giving gifts especially like it.”
Popular items include nativities, ornaments, metal art from Haiti, recycled aluminum products from Nicaragua, and jewelry made from Tagua nuts in Ecuador, brass bracelets from South Africa, magnetic beaded necklaces/bracelets from Guatemala and more.
“Tagua comes from the nut of a huge palm-like tree in the Ecuador rain forest,” says Nancy. “It looks and feels like ivory, and is carved for jewelry and animal figurines. It’s good for the environment because instead of cutting down the rainforest, people can use the trees to sustain themselves.” Tagua jewelry is a big seller in the shop. “People enjoy learning about the origins and craftsmanship behind it.”
Knitted animals from Zimbabwe are also popular, and have an interesting story behind them as well. As part of the ministry of Bridges of Hope, they supported a mission team to work with AIDS orphans in Old Mutare, Zimbabwe. While there they visited the local prison reform ministry named GoGo Olive (. Bridges of Hope is one of a few retailers who proudly sell the knitted animals.
One of the most exciting part of volunteering at Bridges of Hope is our customers. We share the stories of our products with them and they tell their stories of how their gifts will be shared with their friends and families. So the mission goes full circle and we are blessed.
Bridges of Hope began as an extended mission of a former missionary of Papua New Guinea, who felt called to provide a venue to help the artisans sell their beautiful handicrafts. The store itself started out small, with just a few items placed on a cart made by a church member. The store has expanded into a small retail store located at 601 N. Main Street (Door G), on the College Avenue side of First United Methodist Church grounds, near the playground. Bridges of Hope also serves the community by participating in local events in Mount Vernon, New Harmony, and Evansville.
Ninety percent of the money from sales is used to buy more inventory; 10 percent is used to help fund church missions (i.e. mission trips to Zimbabwe, Guatemala, Midwest Methodist Distribution Center). Bridges of Hope, is a ministry of First United Methodist Church and all profits used to share in the mission of God’s call to social justice and meaningful lives for the artisans of developing countries around the world.
Visit Bridges of Hope , we are open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Take a brief video tour of the store.
