Ten Thousand Villages

I have been volunteering at 10,000 Villages for over 10 years. The shop is located at 105 North Walnut Street in downtown Champaign. Ten Thousand Villages provides vital, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Ten Thousand Villages works with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East to produce fair trade jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. Ten Thousand Villages is one of the world's oldest and largest fair trade organizations and is a nonprofit program of Mennonite Central Committee.

I usually volunteer 7 hours per month and thoroughly enjoy my association with the store manager, the part time employees, and the over 40 volunteers who keep the champaign shop going. The people I've met there are from many different religious affiliations. All of them are warm, and loving, and the type of people who enjoy giving back to their community. I've discovered that many of them give many hours of service to their churches and other community organizations as well as the time they donate to the mission of Ten Thousand Villages.

I work full time and often go to my volunteer shift feeling tired and run down but it's such an uplifting environment, and I've learned what a difference this organization has made in the lives of our brothers and sister all over the world.

It's a pleasure to buy a special gift or treasure at the shop. Gifts purchased at Ten Thousand Villages give twice. Once to the artist who created it and once again to the person who buys or receives it.

--Sharon McFarland

Thank you Sister McFarland! To learn more about Ten Thousand Villages click HERE