Fair Trade Cleaning

Social Justice

It isn’t just important to maintain a fair trade policy and use environmentally friendly products in our work. There is so much more we can do to make the world a better place.
In the past, through our In-Kind programme, we chose two non-government, not-for-profit organizations to support by doing half of their cleaning for free. This way, what we did here effected what happened to people around the world. The organizations we chose were War Child Canada and World Literacy of Canada.
To learn more about these projects visit www.warchild.ca and www.worldlit.ca

This year, we’ll be supporting an entrepreneur in a developing nation by extending a microloan through www.kiva.org .

Locally, we are giving discounts on cleaning to workers at Sick Kids hospital.

Other organizations that we think are worthwhile are:

Toronto Green Baby
A resource and info-sharing forum for parents who have an interest in raising their children in an eco-friendly home.
www.torontogreenbaby.com

Baby on the way
This is a great resource for new mothers and includes a forum but you hve to search for the environmentally friendly info.
www.babyontheway.ca

baby on the hip
The two owners of this site have researched unique and conscientious baby essentials that focus on three things: natural, urban and simple.
www.babyonthehip.ca

Out of the Cold
The Out of the Cold program is a volunteer initiative that consists of congregations from faith groups, community members and advocates who provide safe refuge, hospitality and emergency shelter to the homeless community throughout the City of Toronto.
www.ootc.ca

Sistering: A Women’s Place
Sistering is a community-based agency that has struggled with the reality of women’s homelessness, poverty and marginalization. Their programs, services and advocacy work in concert to provide women with as much support as possible while they take greater control over their own lives.
www.sistering.org

Interval House
Interval House provides a continuum of services that enable abused women and children to have access to safe shelter and responsive services that help them establish lives free from violence.
www.intervalhouse.on.ca

OVMA SafePet Program
OVMA’s SafePet program is dedicated to assisting women in leaving abusive partners by providing temporary housing and care for their pets.
www.ovma.org/pet_owners/safepet

Habitat for Humanity
The program developed from the concept of “partnership housing” where those in need of adequate shelter work side by side with volunteers from all walks of life to build simple, decent houses.
www.habitat.ca

Daily Bread Food Bank
Daily Bread distributes food donations to food banks and meal programs, through its member agencies. Diverse members of the community are also offered advocacy support in resolving issues that may accompany hunger like access to social benefits, housing, immigration, and employment.
www.dailybread.ca

Second Harvest
Unlike a food bank, Second Harvest deals primarily with fruits, vegetables, dairy products, frozen foods and meats. They collect this perishable food that would otherwise go to waste and distribute it to approximately 250 social service programs in the Metro Toronto area.
www.secondharvest.ca

Alternative Grounds
At Alternative Grounds, they begin by roasting only fairly traded coffees. They continue to roast and custom blend their coffees daily so that the coffee you are buying is always fresh and always unique.
www.alternativegrounds.com

Sustainable Coffee On Campus at U of T
This site gives a list of coffee shops on campus that serve organic, fairly traded coffees.
www.sustainability.utoronto.ca:81/sustainable-coffee-on-campus-at-u-of-t

The Beet
This café has a full menu inkling some wheat-free and vegan choices and of course fair trade coffees.
www.thebeet.ca

LocalFoodPlus & Fiesta Farms (on Christie, north of Bloor)
This has to be the best grocery store in the city. If you’re on a restricted diet like a gluten- free diet, there’s lots of choice here and you don’t have to pay health food store prices. The produce is local. There’s plenty of organic produce and they sell fair trade coffee (Kicking Horse). They also have the best selection of green cleaning products.
www.localfoodplus.ca/Fiesta

Small World Café
The new family-friendly café providing great quality, fair-trade gourmet coffees and teas, international foods and pastries to families, communities and people of all ages in the Danforth-Village East Community.
www.smallworldcafeinc.com

Peaceful Parks Coalition
You’re walking through the woods looking for mushrooms. It’s a beautiful day. Suddenly you hear gunshots. You look down and realize you’re short and fat and you’re wearing brown. Do you look like a bear? This is the site for you.
www.peacefulparks.org

Ten Thousand Villages
Ten Thousand Villages works with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to bring you fair trade jewelry, home décor, gifts and more. Fair Trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life.
www.tenthousandvillages.org

Greenpeace
Greenpeace is an independently funded organization that works to protect the environment. They challenge government and industry to halt harmful practices by negotiating solutions, conducting scientific research, introducing clean alternatives, carrying out peaceful acts of civil disobedience and educating and engaging the public.
www.greenpeace.ca