Ten Thousand Villages Holiday Benefit

I believe it’s been over 12 years since I got a notification from the volunteer coordinator of SXSW Film Festival calling for volunteers for Ten Thousand Villages of Austin, a fair trade retail nonprofit store. I looked up their website and read a bit about their history and what Fair Trade means.

“Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers.

“It highlights the need for change in the rules and practice of conventional trade and shows how a successful business can also put people first. It is a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty, climate change and economic crisis.” 

—World Fair Trade Organization

I was so impressed with their mission, I signed up and got trained as a volunteer and have been volunteering with this organization ever since. I have gotten to meet some of the artisans on their U.S. tours and have learned so much about their families and villages and their workers. There are actually over 160 Ten Thousand Villages in the U.S. and over 40 in Canada, all based on the same model of fair trade. I have met wonderful folks from Niger and Pakistan.

In addition to their mission, Ten Thousand Villages of Austin also supports local nonprofits throughout the year by designating a specific benefit night where 10-15% of sales are donated to a specific nonprofit. VSA Texas has participated in this event for over 5 years. Gradually we have developed a loyal following of those who not only love VSA Texas and our mission but love the mission of Ten Thousand Villages as well.

This year’s VSA Texas benefit night will be at the fairly new location of Ten Thousand Villages on 4803 Burnet Road, with plenty of accessible parking in front and more parking behind the building. Come shop with us, get to know VSA Texas a little better as well as the wonderful folks at Ten Thousand Villages. Remember to come in the store between 5:00-8:00 PM on Monday, December 11th, and I guarantee you will find that special, one-of-a-kind ornament or gift, complete with the story behind each item you purchase. Over 38 developing countries are represented in the store.

Also, as a special treat, Rick Perkins & Friends will be there to perform original tunes and share stories with his songwriter pals.

Rick Perkins singing and playing acoustic guitar at Roots

Please visit Ten Thousand Villages YouTube Channel to see what all they offer. And visit our VSA Texas YouTube Channel to see what we are about. And come join us Monday, December 11th, from 5:00-8:00 PM for a blending of two wonderful missions aimed at giving artists our support to encourage growth and sustainability for themselves and their families.

'Tis the Season: VSA Texas Holiday Benefit Hosted by Ten Thousand Villages

I know, I know… it is not even Halloween yet, but I just scheduled our VSA Texas Christmas Benefit at Ten Thousand Villages (TTV). Can you believe I got the last spot? For those of you who don’t know or haven’t heard about TTV, let me tell you a little bit about them and VSA Texas’ relationship with them. I have been a volunteer with TTV for 11 years since they first had their store on South Congress next to the Continental Club. Through growing pains, parking and rent doubling, TTV relocated to Burnet Road and has a whole new neighborhood and clientele that have been gracious and have started to become regulars at the new store. TTV is a fair trade, non-profit retail store that provides a marketplace for artisans from over 38 developing countries. TTV has spent more than 60 years cultivating trading relationships in which artisans receive a fair price for their work, and consumers have access to distinctive handcrafted items.

Every year, VSA Texas is offered a benefit night during the holidays, which enables us to receive 10-15% of all items purchased in the store between 5:00-10:00 pm on a specific night in December. Everybody gets to shop for all their holiday goodies, have some refreshments, and enjoy a little entertainment. It’s an evening of good fellowship, and also in turn, supporting a fellow non-profit store. One of the things that our organizations have in common is that some of the items are made by people who are deaf or who have cognitive disabilities. We are fortunate that TTV shares our values of supporting the creative process in an all-inclusive environment.

A couple poses with handmade
candle holders from Silence

TTV has purchased products from Silence since 1983. Silence is a self-help project for artisans in India who are deaf or have physical disabilities. In a country where unemployment is high, people with disabilities rarely find work. The situation is even more difficult for women with disabilities. Silence works to help their artisans become self-sufficient and earn their living, training team members in different skills.

An artisan from Uganda Crafts
holds a spring reeds basket

Another group is Uganda Crafts, an organization managed by the disadvantaged to help the disadvantaged. Many of their artisans also have physical disabilities. They create artful baskets using their traditional method of weaving.

An artisan from Rehab Craft Cambodia
poses with a handmade purse

A third group supported by TTV is Rehab Craft Cambodia (RCC), which recognizes the obstacles these Cambodian artisans with disabilities face and gives them skills to create successful and meaningful businesses. Since people with disabilities have historically had few opportunities for training or employment, RCC does not hire people on the basis of their education or job experience. Instead, the organization is dedicated to providing training and opportunities for advancement to people within the company.

All these items and many more can be found during the Christmas Holiday Benefit for VSA Texas on December 14th, 2015, from 5:00-10:00 pm. It’s a wonderful tradition that we continue to share each year with Ten Thousand Villages. We support their artisans with disabilities, and they financially support our artisans who need our support and services. They are located at 4803 Burnet Road in Austin and can be contacted through email at austin@tenthousandvillages.com.
‘Tis the Season!