With Thanksgiving just around the corner, are you feeling more dread than joy? The holidays can be a challenging time for people who care about animals. The festivities often revolve around foods that we don’t eat, and this dynamic can highlight how we are different from our omnivorous friends and family. Just when we are wanting to connect with our loved ones, we instead have the experience of separation. But rest assured, you are not alone.

If you’re wondering how to handle these kinds of holiday situations, tune into our most recent podcast, How to Do the Holiday Thing as a Vegan. Our panel discusses the common questions that arise at holiday gatherings, from how to respond to provocative questions to what to eat when you’re the only vegan there.

And if you’re looking to get your fix of like-minded folks, join us for our 12th Annual Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck happening this Saturday, November 22 from 1:00 to 4:00pm at Matthews Recreation Center. We can think of no better way to evoke feelings of gratitude than being in the company of other animal advocates who are striving to create a more compassionate world.

Speaking of the season of gratitude, we’d like to offer a big thank you to everyone who donated to CAA on Give to the Max Day. With your generous support, we’re able to continue to being a vital voice for the animals. Thank you! If you missed the opportunity to give last week, you may always make a one-time contribution or sign up to give on a regular basis and become a part of our Circle of Compassion.

In the spirit of giving, we’d like to encourage you to support a growing business that is impressing our local community with their delicious vegan eats. The Herbivorous Butcher is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new store front in the Twin Cities. Give today! They are more than halfway to their goal with 11 days to go.

Now that the cold has officially arrived, it’s time for us to begin planning our 6th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off, which will happen in February. If you’re interested in being a part of the team that helps put that together, check our website for more details. If you’d like to help, please contact me at unny@exploreveg.org or 612-276-2242.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad