Friends of the Third World dba Friends of the Poor

Friends of the Third World (FOTW) began in 1972 when students and teachers formed a fundraising project to aid the hungry. FOTW currently operates job training programs at its building in Fort Wayne and markets handmade crafts from 80 partner groups in 35 countries. Our most recent financial report shows that almost 80% of the sales price of an item goes back in the form of fair trade payments to the producers. Three paid staff supervise volunteers who contributed more than $100,000 worth of donated labor in the past year.  Friends also offer printing and graphics services to churches, neighborhood associations and other nonprofit with students donating labor.  We also accept items for reuse or recycling including working office and printing equipment, tools, and items to serve in our lunch program and hygiene items for low income families and to send to partners who are new immigrants and refugees.

Friends accept donations to support our educational programs and to support new partnerships with producers of items in the store.  We are also needing a working van for transport and picking up donations  Volunteers and donors may choose to become members and become involved in agency programs.  Members receive regular news and discounts on purchases and events. 

In addition to job-training for needy people in Fort Wayne, the house of the Friends of the Third World helps sell products made by exceptional enterprising groups in the Third World, including the Bombolulu Workshop for the Handicapped in Mombasa, Kenya, as

collecting supplies for programs of Mennonite Central Committee and Syrian Medical Relief.