Friends of the Third World Inc

Digging at the Roots of Poverty

aka Friends of the Poor, Third World Shoppe, Whole World Books, Global Village Illinois, Third World Handarts Arizona, Coperative Trading, Historic Hattersley House, Delta Communications Printing Cooperative   |   Fort Wayne, IN   |  http://FRIENDSOFTHETHIRDWORLD.ORG

Mission

Friends of the Third World, began in 1972 when students & teachers, frustrated by governments lack of concern for the poor, decided to take personal action. Rather than distribute emergency aid, Friends seeks to address the roots of poverty thru education, assistance in providing job training and marketing of products produced by the poor, & help in organizing grassroots community projects. We work in partnership with small voluntary groups in 80 countries, including the United States. We also do public education about effective ways individuals can take action against poverty, showing models that are most effective. We believe in cooperation between groups and assist new projects from our experience. We have a small professional staff of three, with voluntary chapters in 6 states.

Ruling year info

1973

Administrative Coordinator/President

Mr. James F Goetsch

Main address

611 W Wayne St

Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2167 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

23-7183804

NTEE code info

Cultural, Ethnic Awareness (A23)

International Economic Development (Q32)

Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (Q05)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The poverty cycle, both internationally and domestically tends to be cyclical - with input from charities and nongovernmental organizations only making temporary progress.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Fair Trade Plus Aiding Low Income Families in 80 countries

Friends partners with volunteer-run Fair Trade Gift Shops in Bloomington, Illinois, Peoria, Illinois, Fort Wayne, Indiana, & Sierra Vista, Arizona. In addition the National Resource Center in Fort Wayne offers job training for local handicapped & unemployed people in printing, computer, retail sales, bookkeeping & building repair. We organize educational events such as Fair Trade Day, International Children's & participate in others. We have a mail order food (coffee, tea, nuts, etc.) & handicraft project, as well as support projects such as medical supplies for clinics in Central America, abused women's job training in India or Native American land recovery & organic farming in Minnesota. We accept full time interns
in several locations for a minimum of two months,
and encourage individuals to volunteer wherever they are located.

Population(s) Served

In 1999 Poder Joven opened its first community center, named Casa Karah, in the neighborhood of Barrio Triste and enrolled 15 children. Today Casa Karah serves 65 children regularly. Most of these children live with their families in small rooms (10 feet x 15 feet or smaller) with no windows and one or two old mattresses on the floor. Two to three-story buildings contain multiples of these small rooms (called “units”) and offer shared toilets, showers, and a common kitchen area, all in very precarious conditions.
A second Center, named Casa Maren, opened in 2006 in a Neighborhood called Brisas del Jardín, which today hosts 75 children on a daily basis. Brisas del Jardínis is an illegal settlement of over 500 impoverished families of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who have fled from armed conflict in rural areas. Their living spaces are unsafe structurally, and overcrowded. Landslides are common during the rainy season, sweeping away homes and causing injuries and deaths,

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

To encourage partnerships of average citizens that allow low income groups producing product to work toward self-reliance thru ethical and democratic market places.

- Provide technical assistance to low income products to form producer cooperatives
- To provide technical assistance to groups of volunteers who will offer products based on ethical principles
- To act as first buyers for fair trade producers who will then expand to market thru other fair trade marketers
- To educate the general public concerning ethical, producer oriented purchasing
- To seek producer partners in areas of economic, natural or human societal destruction

We are not financially able to build a marketing network, but our experience in international and domestic antipoverty work has enabled
us to create cooperative efforts that have helped formalize an international and national fair trade marketing association.
(International Federation for Fair Trade and Fair Trade Federation (North America).
We have done this thru inspiring thousands of volunteer hours, organizing 7 national conferences toward forming the fair trade network,
and being the first to market certain products such as coffee from certain producers in Central America.
We are currently working to include domestic low income producer organizations in the international fair trade network.
We have also purchased and paid for a building in downtown Ft.Wayne, Indiana which serves as our headquarters, provided work
experience to over 3,000 low income adults, and helped 25 independent nonprofit fair trade stores begin.
We are currently working to develop a plan beyond 50 years

We have helped form the North American Fair Trade Federation which now have 300 business members.
We have helped start 25 nonprofit,volunteer run fair trade retail stores
We have trained 3000 low income adults in work related skills
We have developed partnerships with 80 producer cooperatives in 35 countries.

We hope to institutionalize our domestic training program and provide domestic cooperative producers will become successful.
We hope to formalize our resources available from Ft.Wayne to provide ongoing support to our unique antipoverty efforts.

Financials

Friends of the Third World Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Friends of the Third World Inc

Board of directors
as of 11/05/2018
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mr. David Laisure

James F. Goetsch

Nancy Long

Marian R. Waltz

Howard Traxmor

CURTIS CARY

ROBIN GRIMM

VINCENT VARGO

TERRY DORAN

DELORES IRWIN