This Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019, you will receive a different type of palm. The church has invested in a product called “EcoPalm”. Unlike the strip palms you normally receive, this year’s palm will be a frond as shown in the picture. Purchasing this product provides several benefits
Promote Social Justice
Harvesting palms is an important source of income but gatherers receive a low price
Gatherers will receive a higher price for their “fair trade” palms improving their income.
Promote Environmental Stewardship
Palms protect valuable natural forests because they provide income to forest communities.
Palms will be “sustainably” harvested and managed protecting the palms and the forests they need for shade.
Why a "Fair Trade" Palm?
To improve income and living conditions for the communities gathering the palm.
To protect the palms and the important forests from which they are gathered through sustainable harvest programs.
Did You Know?
Approximately 308 million palm fronds were consumed in the United States in 1998.
Palm purchases for Palm Sunday may be worth up to 4.5 million dollars/year.
A congregation of 1,100 to 1,500 members will order approximately 700 palm fronds for Palm Sunday services.
Palm gathering actually protects valuable natural forests.
At least half of the farmers in the Central Peten of Guatemala earn additional income from harvesting fronds and, more than a quarter of household heads support themselves exclusively by collecting fronds.
Each palm plant produces 2 to 5 harvestable leaves over a 2 to 4 month period.
Join us on Palm Sunday and know that your palm frond has been sustainably harvested and provided important income to the farmers.