Highlights

November 06, 2015

Posted in Fredericksburg


Small Business Saturday

Shop Latitudes Fair Trade store in downtown Fredericksburg on Small Business Saturday! We will be opening 2 hours early, with a free gift for every $20 purchase during the early bird hours of 8am-10pm. There will be lots of holiday spirit downtown on this day, so be sure to make plans to pay us a visit!

Date: Saturday, November 28
Time: 8am-8pm
Location: Latitudes Fair Trade store in Fredericksburg

Latitudes Fair Trade Small Business Saturday 2015 from VideoMann Productions on Vimeo.

November 03, 2015

Posted in Fredericksburg, Warrenton


Christmas Wish List Night

Give Santa a hand and enjoy wine, treats, and raffle prizes when you make out a wish list of all your fair trade favorites! We'll keep your list so when Santa and his elves shop for you we can help them pick out just the right gift for you.

Can't make it in that day? No problem! Come in anytime, but don't wait too long since everyone who makes out a list by December 1st will be entered into a drawing for the scarf or earrings of their choice!

Date: Sunday, November 15
Time: 4pm-8pm
Location: Latitudes Fair Trade stores in Fredericksburg and Warrenton

November 02, 2015

Posted in Warrenton


Ever met a Sloth?

Julia Heckathorn

Hidden Clover Event in Warrenton

Latitudes Fair Trade store in Warrenton invites kids of all ages to meet Julia Heckathorn, local author and worldwide conservationist. Julia will bring her pet sloth and tell stories about her adventures in preserving our great, big world.   

Julia is the author of the Hidden Clover children’s books available at Latitudes - outstanding adventure tales that entertain and educate.

"When Heckathorn visits a school with one of her unusual animals, the childrens' eyes 'light up with excitement' and they become far more interested in learning about coservation" - Times US and London, Today Show

Date: Saturday, November 21
Time: 4pm-5pm
Location: Warrenton Presbyterian Church fellowship hall (enter from 5th Street) across the street from the Warrenton Latitudes Fair Trade store.

September 18, 2015

Posted in Staunton


Staunton store opening September 19th!

   

It's time!
On Saturday, September 19, the doors to our newest store will open at 10:30am

We are OVERJOYED to be announcing the opening of the third ever Latitudes in at 16 E. Beverley St. in Staunton, Va this Saturday! Staunton will be run by Terry and Lee Owsley's daughter Anna Schoenduby who lives in Staunton with her husband, Brent. She has been working towards this for a year and the opportunity has now fallen into place. Staunton is a town full of life and rhythm, and we encourage you to plan a visit soon and check out Anna's gorgeously styled space. We are very proud of her!

July 23, 2015

Posted in Warrenton


WTTG Fox 5 Morning News visits Latitudes in Warrenton

On July 17, 2015, Fox 5 DC visited Warrenton during one of their Zip Trips, which features unique locales that are a zip to visit in the DC area. Latitudes Fair Trade Store was a highlight of the visit! Here, store owner Lee and shop dog Rosie are interviewed by Tucker Barnes.

June 19, 2015

Posted in Fredericksburg, Staunton, Warrenton


A Visit with Thistle Farms

      

The thistle it is actually considered a weed. For Thistle Farms and the women of Magdalene it represents the prickles of their past, with a center of beauty and the promise of new life. Thistle Farms is a social enterprise specifically built for the women that are part of or graduated from the 2-year residential community of Magdalene started by Becca Stevens in 1997. These women are off the streets of Nashville, Tennessee and desperate for help escaping prostitution, trafficking, and addictions. They are provided with housing, food, medical and dental expenses, as well as therapy, education, and job training - all at no cost to them. Thistle Farms and Magdalene are funded by donations and the product sales of Thistle Farms and the Thistle Stop Café.

Latitudes Fredericksburg and Warrenton employees went down to Nashville to learn more about the production of their products and their residential program. Seven employees of Latitudes participated in an education day put on by Thistle Farms. 

 

      

Every morning they start their day at Thistle Farms with circle time at the Thistle Stop Café. All employees come together to say good morning and have a moment to encourage one another and have a daily meditative prayer focusing on one of the 24 guiding principles of Thistle Farms. A candle is lit for the women that are still out there suffering to see the light and find their way home. We had a lovely morning in the café learning how Thistle Farms has grown over the years and their hopes for expanding. Since 2005, 84% of residents have graduated the 2-year program successfully. Most of them choose to continue their employment at Thistle Farms. They have welcomed 15 new residents this year!

"This community has taught me that when hearts break, love pours out like a river forgetting her boundary. It is possible to see justice in its wake and believe love changes the world. When we step in that river's current, we stir up old bedrock that crumbles into generosity, and compassion." - Founder Becca Stevens

 

 

There are four residential Magdalene Houses, which provide a loving home environment for 24 women. This home, built in 2006, is home to 7 women. When the women walk up to this house they normally say, "I get to live here!?" For the first 6 months of the program the women focus solely on their own healing. All the women qualify for food stamps and receive a stipend for additional living expenses. They are responsible for cooking their own meals. On Monday they have mandatory house meetings and a mandatory house dinner. Each house member has to contribute a dish. Local volunteers come and give cooking classes which help the women get creative and healthy in the kitchen. The close knit community of the houses are very significant and teach the women how to live in a healthy and supportive community environment; something many of them have never known. 

 

    

This is the paper studio at Thistle Farms.  Journals, cards, and bookmarks are artistically produced here. The women make their own paper out of recycled and donated t-shirts and paper scraps. Each sheet has dried thistles added as a reminder of hope in dry forgotten places. 

 

         

This is the sewing studio. It began from a donation of 12 sewing machines. They now produce coasters, hot pads, and totes. Volunteers came in to help teach sewing lessons and design product patterns. In the bottom left photo you will meet Tish, a graduate of the 2-year Magdalene program. She is a Thistle Farmer who knew nothing about sewing, but now has been working in her free time on what she is proudly holding up in the picture. She plans on making it into a pillow. 

A cool community story: A young couple came to visit Thistle Farms and was so touched by this place they came up with a way to do more. They were getting married soon and instead of wedding gifts they asked everyone to give a Home Depot gift card. With this gift the couple bought flooring and spent their honeymoon side by side with Thistle Farmers installing it. This story proves just how infectious the love and hope is here.

 

           

These products you will recognize from Latitudes and may be even enjoying them in your own home. Their body care line makes lip balm, soaps, lotions, body butters, healing oils, and candles. These are all-natural products infused with herbs and oils. Thistle Farms has a sales team, production team, packaging team and shipping department. This provides valuable work experience and skills for the Magdalene residents and graduates. Thistle Farms products can be found in over 400 stores. While they are healing on the inside, these women are producing something healing for the outside. 

A cool community story: While a local writer was visiting Thistle Farms he noticed that they had to wheel their finished products outside and around the back to get them down to packaging and shipping. He decided to make their lives easier and so donated proceeds from a book he authored to to fund the construction of an elevator connecting the two floors. They are very thankful!

 

      

This is packaging and shipping departments where wholesale and online orders are filled. They do an excellent job and take this opportunity to gain valuable work experience. 

 

    

This is the Thistle Stop Café. Magdalene residents and graduates operate this café. From personal experience, I can say they make a delicious cup of Rosemary Revolution tea, served with a smile. If you are ever in Nashville, Tennessee, take the time to stop at the Thistle Stop! Besides purchasing the products in our store, this is another way to financially support Thistle Farms and witness the great work they are doing. When this café was being built the community really pulled together and gave time and materials. The floor was donated by Al Gore from his parent's tobacco barn, and creates a gorgeously rugged look you notice right away. A designer from Anthropologie donated their time to construct the unique tea cup chandeliers. Every cup was donated by someone in the community and most were filled with a story of the cup's history. You can see why this place is so FULL OF LOVE!

Thistle Farms and Magdalene fully embodies the fact that LOVE HEALS! Please come into Latitudes and see their handiwork on our shelves - and pass the love on by giving their products as gifts.

June 13, 2015

Posted in Fredericksburg, Warrenton


Sponsoring an Eye Clinic in India

What do colorful gift bags have to do with vision care for artisans in India? Well, when you choose a free colorful upcycled sari gift pouch with your purchase, you can elect to make a donation to contribute to a fund that provides vision care to artisans in rural India.

We are partnering with Matr Boomie and their non-profit arm in India, SETU, to sponsor a free Health & Eye Check-up Camp. Good eyesight is especially key for artisans to be able to continue working and making a living. Due to lack of awareness, education and many times-funds, most artisans are forced to neglect their health and keep health issues at the last priority.

This camp will provide the following services for artisans and their family members:

• Free preventative health check-ups to detect general illness and risk factors.
• Free distribution of medicines.
• Free eye check-up.
• Advice, medication & exercises to improve poor vision.
• Free of cost distribution of spectacles for vision correction to the needy.
• Awareness regarding precautions while doing their jobs, if needed.
• Information on maintenance of general health & hygiene, prevention & cure of common diseases.

Each camp is budgeted as funds are raised. Our goal is to raise enough to fully fund one camp, which will serve 200-500 people. We are excited to see how quickly we can sponsor one of these eye camps, and appreciate your support!


Image courtesy of Matr Boomie