Putting people before profits while promoting fair trade and cultural awareness – that is the idea behind Global Gallery, a nonprofit, volunteer-based, fair trade marketplace.

Global Gallery was founded by four area churches which provided financial and human resources. The store, which has been open for 12 years, is located at 682 N. High St. in Columbus’ Short North neighborhood and shares its space with UNICEF, a separate entity.

“Our missions are similar in that they help children and we help artisans in developing countries,” said Barbara Logan, director of Global Gallery.

Global Gallery, along with Ten Thousand Villages, its newly opened sister store at Easton Town Center, are just about the only stores in Columbus which sell fair trade items. Both stores are members of the Fair Trade Federation, an organization whose members are dedicated to offering fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide, according to their Web site.

“We pay living wages to the artisans and we buy up front. If the items don’t sell in the United States, then we lose out, not the artisans,” Logan said. “We see the handicrafts and tell the stories behind each piece.”

Coffee, cocoa and chocolate are some of the most popular items purchased at Global Gallery. These items are purchased through Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative that worked directly with small-scale farmers throughout Latin America, Asia and Africa. According to their Web site, this cooperative sells more fair trade certified coffee than any other company in North America.

“In a free trade agreement, what the producers are paid for the product is less than the cost to produce it,” Logan said. “With coffee prices so low right now, many producers are not making enough money to cover their costs. That’s one reason why our coffee is so popular.”

The volunteers behind Global Gallery work to promote fair trade through a variety of ways. The biggest event is the annual dinner held the Thursday before World Trade Day, a celebration of cultural awareness and fair trade. The next World Fair Trade Day will be May 8.

“We have ethnic food and music from all of the globe,” Logan said. “This year we had tables covered with food all throughout the store.”

Volunteers also donate their time and skills for other purposes, such as coordinating special events, web designing, writing news releases and marketing.

Many of the volunteers are Ohio State students. Allison Glasgow, a junior in psychology, has been volunteering at both Global Gallery and Ten Thousand Villages for four months.

“I had shopped here before and became familiar with the store and its vision,” Glasgow said. “I spoke with a student friend who helped me connect with the people of Global Gallery. Once I expressed interest in volunteering, they were receptive.”

During her time as a volunteer, Glasgow has participated in building bridges with other parts of the community, such as Oktoberfest and the International Festival, through events at Global Gallery.

“Since volunteers are heavily relied upon, I was greeted warmly and felt accepted when I began volunteering,” Glasgow said. “It’s a pleasure to be involved with this cause.”