Christmas Boxes Feature Fair Trade, Organic Coffee and Chocolate

October 16, 2012

Episcopal Relief & Development and its coffee partner, Pura Vida Create Good, are pleased to present two Bishops Blend Christmas Box options for the 2012 holiday season.

The Coffee Box includes three of the most popular Bishops Blend coffee roasts: smooth and rich Bishops Blend Regular Roast, extra-dark Kaldi’s Roast, and Café de la Paz, a blend of Latin American beans roasted to perfection.

The Coffee and Chocolate Box delights with two classic Bishops Blend coffee roasts: Bishops Blend Regular Roast and Bishops Blend Decaf. Three bars of Single Origin Guatemalan chocolate complete this popular package.

The boxes are $29 each, and are shipped with a personalized gift message. A portion of Bishops Blend sales helps to sustain Episcopal Relief & Development’s work worldwide.

“We are very glad to be able to offer the Christmas Boxes each year,” said Brian Sellers-Petersen, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Director of Church Engagement. “It’s great coffee, and people love giving a gift that helps a good cause. And like the items from the Gifts for Life catalog, you know someone is really going to get good use out of it!”

Bishops Blend coffee is certified fair trade, organic and shade grown, reflecting Episcopal Relief & Development’s commitment to strengthening communities through creating economic opportunities and promoting sustainable agriculture. Fair trade practices ensure that farmers are paid a fair living wage, and organic farming keeps chemical fertilizers and pesticides off of food and out of the soil. Shade-growing coffee protects crops from intense heat and sunlight, and also protects local ecosystems from disruptive agricultural practices like land-clearing and burning.

In countries like Honduras, Nicaragua and Zambia, Episcopal Relief & Development works with local partners to find ways to boost harvests and income while protecting the environment. The organization’s programs empower farmers with skills and equipment to process their goods into higher-value products, and help provide direct access to local markets. Increased income allows participants to better their families’ diets, improve their homes and invest in community infrastructure like water systems.

Bishops Blend gift boxes should be purchased by December 11 in order to ensure delivery before Christmas, though expedited shipping may be requested. Orders can be placed online via  our Bishops Blend page or by phone at 877.469.1431.

Christmas is the most popular time of the year for Bishops Blend gift boxes, but the coffee products are available year-round. Churches are invited to purchase coffee for fellowship hour or as a fundraiser by contacting Pura Vida Create Good.

Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church and an independent 501(c)(3) organization. The agency takes its mandate from Jesus’ words found in Matthew 25. Its programs work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Episcopal Relief & Development works closely with the worldwide Church and ecumenical partners to help rebuild after disasters and to empower local communities to find lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease, including HIV/AIDS and malaria.