“Sobornost for the World Foundation, Inc.” was started as a small group of prayerful Catholics led by the Holy Spirit, Sobornost promotes “justice,
love, peace, and awareness of exploitation in developing countries”. In just two years they have created
a nonprofit foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) advocacy group, and a not-for-profit store selling goods made
available from impoverished peoples around the world through trading partners. Their mission as a nonprofit tax exempt
organization is to increase social awareness of developing nations and to establish programs for orphans. They promote
Fair Trade crafts, fundraising and special development projects. They foster dignity and solidarity toward developing
nations through information, advocacy and monetary aid. They work for peace, justice and equality for people of developing
nations by cultivating projects that enhance communication, trade and friendship.
Sobornost’s store is located at 101-2 Montauk Highway, Hamlet Green, Hampton Bays, New York 11946,
(631) 728-7880. The store is located just west of the headquarters of Birthright on Montauk Highway, in the Hamlet Green
stores. It is set back from the road, and you have to drive around back to get to a ground-level entrance, but it is
worth the maneuvering to get there.
The store sells “Fair Trade” goods, meaning that profits go back to the producers, in the form of better
wages. For example, pre-packaged Fair Trade coffees sell at about $10.95 for a one pound bag, similar to gourmet coffee
shops; however, when you purchase these coffees, you are guaranteed no child skipped school to pick beans, and that adults
were paid a fair day’s wage. World markets typically pay workers 40 to 80 cents for a pound of coffee, but Fair
Traders pay roughly $1.40 a pound. This is a huge difference to people that normally earn less than $2.00 a day.
Locals stop in often to buy coffees, chocolates, religious artwork and jewelry, which make wonderful gifts for holidays,
baptisms, confirmations and birthdays. If you stay long enough in the store, run by volunteer board members, you hear
how they help orphans and impoverished families. Sobornost currently focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa, where recent drought,
locust infestations, poor crop yield, and shortages of anti-malarial and HIV drugs have created the worst problems in decades.
95% of the world’s 14 million AIDS orphans live there and over 12,000 African children under the age of 5 die every
day from preventable and curable diseases.
To learn more their work or to get involved, visit Sobornost’s website at
http://www.fairtrademarket.org. To sponsor a Fair Trade party, call Debbie Dorst at (631) 728-7880 or email her at
debbiedorst@msn.com. A tax-deductible contribution can be sent to Sobornost for the World Foundation, Inc., 101-2 Montauk Highway, Hamlet
green, Hampton Bays, NY 11946.
