The Sociology Student Advisory Committee invited JustGoods, 201 Seventh St. in Rockford, to sell its ecological and socially responsible handmade goods Wednesday and Thursday in Reavis Hall.

The committee and JustGoods agreed that 10 percent of Wednesday and Thursday’s sales would go to the Sociology Student Advisory Committee to fund the group’s alternative Spring Break. During the break, the committee works with Habitat for Humanity and helps build houses.

JustGoods volunteer Wanda Hoover said the fair trade process is designed to help people in other countries earn a living.

“Everything comes from a developing country, handmade,” Hoover said. “They are paid in a sustainable way.”

A “sustainable way” means the people who create JustGoods’ products are given livable wages and third-party organizations are sent to investigate the producers’ working conditions.

Financial aid counselor Paula Ruff said she tries to shop every time the store comes to NIU.

NIU’s involvement with Habitat for Humanity has helped the group, which has built more than 35 houses in Pensacola, Fla., over the last 20 years, said Jack King, internship placement coordinator for the Sociology Department.

“We are actually part of their strategic plan for their home building,” King said. “It started out as mostly, or primarily, sociology students, but over the years the trip has grown and been kind of open to students across the campus.”

About 42 students, alumni and faculty will use their week-long spring break for philanthropic efforts this year.

“We’re going to use the money not to cover individual cost, but to kind of reduce the overall cost of the minivan so the price stays low for everyone that wants to come,” King said.