Our favorite event of the year has just passed, but we are left with stories shared with us of the excitement and the information that shoppers gathered from vendors, information booths (like NJCAHT), or while listening to the The Jay Everett Band (you guys really did rock).
We would love to hear your experiences from the night!  Tell us your story in a comment below!
Once again we thank High Mountain Church and the volunteers from the night (we had a bunch of teenagers from Eastern Christian who really put their muscles to work too).  We are grateful for the ability to use High Mountain Church’s facility and that some of their church members really worked hard in helping the Justice Network team out.  We can never fully show you how much we appreciate you, but we truly do.  You are all such blessings to us, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
The raffles were put together by the Justice Network team as well as donated and provided by The Fine Grind, Stop & Shop, and Young Living.
Money that was raised from this event is going to be given to Love True and The Walter Hoving Home.
Be sure to see the links of each vendor after reminiscing visually.

3 Honeybees: A Justice Network member’s mini-shop that is still growing, so be on the lookout for their expansion!  Their products include natural handmade products, jewelry hangers, wall art, beauty and skincare.  They care about being ethical and helping seek justice for those in slavery.

Ben & Jerry’s: We always look forward to the delicious goodness of ice cream by Ben & Jerry’s!  They are committed to sourcing Fair Trade ingredients as a way to improve the livelihoods of small family farmers around the world.  We know that our ice cream experience was better tasting knowing they care for those who work for them!  Which flavor did you like best from the event?
Bridge of Faith: We know this is one of the most visited vendors at our event!  Bridge of Faith mobilizes people and religious organizations in NJ to support a variety of health, education, and human service programs in Awka, Nigeria. They work with three orphanages with infants and children who are orphans while teaching them about God. They supply goods and provide basic needs for those across a mil-long bridge over the Niger River at Onitsha.  They provide healthcare and education.  They sell African crafts in the US to help support those in need.
Handmade Mennonite Quilts & Mitla Moda:  Our resources adviser, who is a Fair Trade and ethical product obsessed Mennonite, creates beautiful quilts.  She also sells Mitla Moda products each year at our event.  Mitla Moda was a part of a cooperative committed to the slow fashion movement, offering high-quality items meant to last for years, that are made sustainably, using natural materials and on traditional, foot-powered looms. Mitla Moda has actually closed their business, but each item was bought directly from the artisans who are from Oaxaca, one of the poorest states in Mexico.  While closing, Mitla Moda donated each item to Justice Network, so that every item sold contributes money directly to the fight against human trafficking and survivor care. Mitla Moda used fair trade principles, which provided sustainable, living wages for their artisans.

here there and EVERYwhere:  We love this vendor so much and are happy that they continually come to our event!  They are a nonprofit, re-purposed goods platform that provides survivors of economic hardships, domestic abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking with an avenue for creative expression. While incorporating art therapy and ethical design concepts, survivors are taught vocational & entrepreneurial skills in sewing, jewelry making, and crafts to bring new life to discarded items. The end product is a culmination of creativity, catharsis, and dedication.
Jars of Hope: Your favorite little jars have returned to Justice Rocks for their second year! Whenever a necklace is purchased, a human trafficking victim is being helped and also receives a necklace. They long to create beauty in a broken world, specifically to shine a light on the issue of slavery.  Each necklace’s glitter to emphasize the wonderful truth that God is taking those affected by human trafficking and restoring their lives into something beautiful.  Also, the wood carving plaques that were at the table next to theirs at the event were made by Austin Olson and he made the display pieces for Jars of Hope.  If you would like to order one of his plaques or have a custom made one, email jtartini@liberty.edu – which is Jen Tartini (Jars of Hope Founder, and girlfriend of Austin).

La Caron:  We know you love their deodorant (we hear a lot about it from shoppers).  We are happy that La Caron is passionate about making quality, natural, and organic products that are affordable for everyone that wants to not only eat as clean as possible, but encompass a natural lifestyle in every way!  The private-run business is run by a woman who also cares deeply about slave-free and ethical materials.
 Land of a Thousand Hills: We hope you ordered some Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co., who partners with Rwandan farmers and local community leaders to develop the coffee into a sustainable income, pay a just Living Wage, and strive to further meet the needs of the people. When you buy Land of a Thousand Hills, you are receiving coffee that is 100% Arabica, fairly traded, and roasted fresh. Your excellent morning cup is offering hope to these developing coffee communities with each purchase. “Drink Coffee. Do Good.”
Love True: This organization works to fight human trafficking specifically by teaching on sex trafficking through prevention programs.  They also work in restoration for survivors with an end goal of creating a safe house in the future.  To learn more about their prevention program, request a presentation, or join their team of volunteers, contact Alec@love-true.org
Mayamam Weavers: Last year these guys couldn’t make it (we were bummed), but this year, they blessed us and you with their presence! Each piece is made by people who live in Cajolá, a Mayan town in the western highlands of Guatemala. To overcome poverty, the women came together to explore ways to provide jobs within their community, rather than migrate to the U.S. and separate their families. They are a part of a cooperative that has grown to 20 weavers and seamstresses, all earning fair trade wages while learning the skills to run a business. It also provides on-site childcare and adult literacy classes for the community. They offer products that make a difference in the lives of women and provide a better future for Mayan children.
Seeds of Hope: We hope you made your way to an organization we have partnered with several times now.  They sell beautifully handcrafted bracelets.  Seeds of Hope works in Costa Rica to change laws to protect victims of human trafficking and training student leaders.  They work in high risk communities with after school programs while providing restoration to those who have been victimized.  One of Justice Network’s team members has been to Costa Rica herself and is devoted to helping those in Seeds of Hope’s programs.
Soul Change Cottage: Another great returning vendor!  They provide for those in the Philippines, making innovative community change to sustain economic increase while preserving cultural heritage and use of raw materials in production of eco-friendly export is what Soul Change Cottage is all about.  They take their work into the markets and selling their products throughout the US at events like ours!!
Touch The World: This organization helps bring youth from inside the US to learn about a different culture and gives them an opportunity to work on short term missions work within and outside of their own country. In doing so, they are transforming two different groups of people at once, those who are in training to reach out to the world who understand the gospel in the Bible, and those who are learning about Christ’s love through the students.
Trades of Hope:  One of our newest vendors!  They work with 12,000 artisans all over the world (16 countries). Some women have been rescued from sex slavery. Others are raising handicapped children alone. Some are in war torn countries and others have HIV/AIDS and leprosy. They offer a better life for their children by giving them a trade to provide for their families. A woman who advances economically lifts 4 people with her!
Unshattered: We’ve heard so many times from shoppers, “I can’t wait to buy a new purse from Unshattered this year.”  Their mission is to rebuild hope for lives shattered by addiction.  They enable women in recovery to see and know the value they can bring to the world by creating beauty and purpose out of discarded things. Unshattered is the social enterprise arm of the  Walter Hoving Home.  They make bags out of re-purposed materials, just like the lives they encounter – creating wholeness from pieces. Each bag is handmade by a woman in residence at the Walter Hoving Home who is winning her fight against addiction through God’s grace and redemption.
Unwined Glass Creations: This vendor came up from Louisiana!  We were so honored to have them be a part of our event!  The owner, Laurie, makes beautiful, one-of-a-kind eco-friendly jewelry made from recycled bottles, vintage items, antiques, and anything with a story.  A portion of her sales goes to support sexual abuse awareness.  Each piece is so unique and beautiful!
WAR – Women at Risk, International: Another new vendor to our event, WAR unites and educates men and women to create circles of protection and hope around those at risk through culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects and partnerships.  WAR often will form bonds with victims of human trafficking and help them out though they also do preventative work.  They seek to market and sell handcrafted items made by at-risk and rescued men and women from around the world, supporting culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects, while educating shoppers about the risks the vulnerable face in our world.