Contact:
Amy Hollrah
Endangered Species Chocolate
317.216.2157 Ext. 157
ahollrah@chocolatebar.com

Endangered Species Chocolate returns to West Africa
Team members to visit cacao farms and participate in locally-led mission

INDIANAPOLIS – In late May, representatives from Endangered Species Chocolate will head for Ivory Coast and Nigeria to fulfill part of the company’s mission to produce ethically traded chocolate bars and help support humanitarian efforts.

Nick Lee, Mark Waddell, Kelly Meinken and Renee Sweany will travel to Kobenan Yaokro and Amélékia Villages in Ivory Coast to visit the cacao farms from which Endangered Species Chocolate’s all-natural cacao is harvested. There they will be documenting sustainable farming practices and ethical working conditions.

From Ivory Coast, Meinken and Sweany will travel to Nigeria to join The Mercy Foundation on a medical mission in Uromi, Nigeria. The Mercy Foundation is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that organizes medical mission trips to Nigeria, providing dental, vision, surgery, HIV testing/treatment/education, pharmacy and other services. Volunteers are expected to serve approximately 5,000 people at the clinic.

After spending five days at the clinic in Uromi, the group will visit cacao farming communities in Ikom, Nigeria, where Endangered Species Chocolate installed two water pumps and donated school supplies in 2006.

Meinken and Sweany were inspired by Mercy volunteer, Dymisha Adamson, who Endangered Species Chocolate sponsored in 2007. Her stories, photos and commitment to the mission made them want to be more involved. Witnessing ethical trade and being actively involved in the wellbeing of West Africans is an important part of Meinken and Sweany’s personal and professional goals.

The Endangered Species Chocolate team plans to take chocolate to the workers and communities in Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Last year, Adamson was very popular when she shared chocolate with children at an orphanage. They love milk chocolate!

As electricity permits, Sweany will be blogging about the experience. Visit www.chocolatebar.com/blog to read about preparation for the trip and to follow along on the journey. Photos will be available after June 12.

Endangered Species Chocolate would like to recognize their business partners who have helped support this important mission work: Arway Confections, ELF, Lithocraft, MSI, Belmark, Ecoist, Yoga Journal, Vegetarian Times, Exhibit House and Clif Bar.

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About Endangered Species Chocolate
Indianapolis-based Endangered Species Chocolate is fully committed to providing premium, all-natural ethically traded, naturally shade-grown, and kosher products, as well as products that are certified vegan and organic. To honor its core value – Reverence for Life – ESC confirms that all beans used in its products are purchased from small, family-owned properties where the income benefits the community. The company also donates 10-percent of net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity. The number one best selling brand of natural and organic chocolate in the natural food category, ESC offers more than 30 products..

For more information, please visit www.chocolatebar.com.