What is Purchase With a Purpose?

Purchase With a Purpose is our annual fair trade Christmas market. We partner with Gospel-centered organizations from around the globe who provide products based on fair-trade practices; striving to economically empower their artisans through craft training and financial stability. Each organization has a different vision and focus: some are working to provide relief for orphaned children in Africa, some to work to end the poverty cycle in Haiti, and more. Check out the organization list on the bottom if you want to learn more about what each organization's mission is. 

Why should I come?

Every year we have the opportunity to provide the community with incredibly well-made, hand-crafted products. We have the event just before Thanksgiving, which makes it a perfect time to come out and do your Christmas shopping for the year. You'll get some beautiful items for yourself or for others, and your money goes directly towards these artisans and the organizations that are supporting them.

What do you do with the money?

Redeemer Church doesn't keep any of the money. Almost all of the money is sent back to the organizations that provided the product. Any "profit", such as from the food items, is donated to one of our partner organizations; each year we choose one organization that will receive those extra funds - for 2021 it will be Compassion International. All donations made beyond product purchased will also go towards this organization. The equipment for the event, such as the tent, the heaters, come out of the church's budget, enabling every dollar spent at Purchase With a Purpose to go to the organizations providing product.

How many organizations will be there?

There will be representation for 19 different organizations, in different capacities. For example, Rockford Art Deli will be onsite doing screen printing, and the shirts they use will be coming from GOEX. There will be 15 tables of hand-crafted items that you will be able to purchase from. You can see a list of the organizations below.

Can I bring my kids?

Starting this year, we're going to have our Kids Zone! There will be a hay-ride tractor pull, and an opportunity for your kids to win a delicious homemade cookie. They won't want to miss this!

Will there be food provided?

With this being an outdoor event, we're going to have some guys running a grill for you! We'll have hot dogs, brats, and burgers available. The food will be available with a recommended donation of $5, and there will be some gluten free bun options available (though they will be limited). The donation will get you your sandwich, a side, and a bottle of water.

There will also be hot coffee, hot chocolate, cider available for purchase.

To stay up to date on the event, head to the Facebook event where you can RSVP and easily invite people to join you for the market this year!

Find the Facebook event here!

Last year, you sent almost $20,000 dollars to the organizations who were represented, and almost $2,300 to Compassion International!