Compassionate Action for Animals is hosting our third Twin Cities Veg Fest on Sunday, September 28th, 2014, 10am – 4pm at Coffman Memorial Union on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota. An attendee at last year’s festival proclaimed it “fun and enlightening.” Now, you can help make this event even more fun and enlightening.

Become a supporter of Twin Cities Veg Fest 2014 with a donation to our Indiegogo campaign. Contribute today! The campaign expires on Tuesday, July 1st. Your support will help us reach new audiences, provide more tasty vegan food, and bring cooking demos to the festival.

Twin Cities Veg Fest is for anyone and everyone – from vegetarians and vegans to omnivores. Attendees learn where their food comes from, how they can be healthy on a plant-based diet, and why living compassionately benefits everyone. The festival offers free food, insightful speakers, great music, delicious meals, and the opportunity to mingle in a thriving community.

Twin Cities Veg Fest is free to attend. Your generous support is what makes this event possible.

Visit our Indiegogo campaign page, and check out the range of perks for different levels of contribution, everything from a cute CAA button to a homemade vegan cake. Who can resist cake? Please consider backing this project today.

Visit our website to learn more about all the ways that you can be involved with CAA in the month of June, including a cooking class on Thursday, June 19th and a Potluck and Bonfire on Friday, June 27th. If you would you like to volunteer for either of these events, contact Justin Leaf.

Also, CAA can be found doing outreach at Rock the Garden on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22, and at the Minneapolis Pride Festival, a celebration of the LGBT community at Loring Park on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. To help with these outreach events, please contact Grace Van Susteren.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad Executive Director

Would you like to explore the ethics of your relationship with animals? Common Ground Meditation Center is hosting a conversation on the subject of humans, animals, and non-harming on Sunday, June 1, 12:30 – 3:30 pm. Mark Berkson, a longtime supporter of Compassionate Action for Animals, will be one of three community members who will share their insights. Here’s what Common Ground has to say about the event:

Sunday, June 1, 12:30 – 3:30 pm
Common Ground Meditation Center
2700 East 26th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
612-722-8260

Also, Twin Cities Veg Fest 2014, coming to Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota on Sunday, September 28, is now a Facebook event. RSVP and invite your friends!

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

Have you marked your calendar yet? Our third Twin Cities Veg Fest will take place on Sunday, September 28th, 2014, once again in Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. This year, there’s lots of ways to follow us:

• Compassionate Action for Animals Weekly Update (i.e. what you’re reading right now) and our blog.
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Tumblr
• and Instagram

Are your friends interested in the festival? Please share it with them! You know what to do.

What is the festival? If you’ve ever thought about becoming vegetarian or are interested in reducing animal suffering, you’ll love Twin Cities Veg Fest. Learn where your food comes from, how to be a healthy vegetarian or vegan, and why being compassionate benefits everyone. Plus you’ll enjoy tons of free vegan food samples and delicious vegan cuisine.

Also: on Sunday we celebrated the release of Mistress Ginger Cooks, a vegan cookbook written by our new Communications and Events Coordinator. Did you miss it? You can still get the book.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

Thanks to everybody who has volunteered with us! Come to our Volunteer Appreciation Party on Saturday, May 17, 6 to 9 pm at Matthews Park, 2318 19th Ave S, Minneapolis. Let’s celebrate everything we’ve accomplished!

Do you want to get more involved in helping animals? Come to our Community Meeting on Thursday, May 22 from 6 to 7:30 pm at our office, 2100 First Ave S, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN. Free food will be provided, and we’ll discuss ways that you can help animals.

Here’s my go-to for tasty vegan recipes: The Post Punk Kitchen. Isa Chandra Moskowitz has written many excellent vegan cookbooks. Her most recent cookbook, Isa Does It, highlights easy-to-make meals.

Last week I mentioned our Vegan Pancake Brunch Feed-In. Let me tell you more about it. This is our third annual pancake brunch feed-in, and the pancakes and coffee are free!

This is a great opportunity to meet other animal-friendly people and eat delicious food. Bring a vegan (no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, or honey) breakfast dish to share! This is a first come, first serve event. We may run out of pancakes!

When: Saturday, May 10, 2014, 1:30 to 4:30 pm

Where: Van Cleve Park (we’ll be inside if it’s cold or rainy), 901 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Please RSVP by Facebook, email, or phone (612-276-2242).

And:

• Check out a volunteer’s review of Mark Bittman’s Vegan Before 6 P.M.
• Are you a volunteer? Or do you want to volunteer in the future? Please join me at our Volunteer Appreciation Party on Saturday, May 17 at 6 pm at Matthews Park, 2318 29th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
• Some friends of CAA are organizing a weekly gathering of vegans (and those that are curious) at the Seward Co-op on Fridays at 6 pm. Please join them.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

Here’s the second episode of our podcast, Exploring Veg, where I interview Miss Chain of Lakes 2014 and Compassionate Action for Animals volunteer Grace Christenson.

Also:

• Remember the 5th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off? Here’s the winning recipe!
• Do you plan on attending a Twins game? Check out their veg options.
• Our friend AmyLeo Barankovich is teaching a vegan cooking class this Saturday, April 26.
• Join me at our Vegan Pancake Brunch Feed-In on Saturday, May 10, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm at Van Cleve Recreation Center, 901 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

I’m happy to announce we’ve hired Justin Leaf as our new Communications and Events Coordinator. A long time Compassionate Action for Animals volunteer, Justin has helped plan the Their Lives, Our Voices conference, raised funds, distributed literature, helped with administrative tasks, and much more. Beyond his experience, what excites me about hiring Justin is his commitment to gently helping people embrace compassion.

Going to a Twins game? Check out their veg options!

Next week is US Veg Week. Please join us! One way to celebrate is to volunteer at our Vegan Food Showcase on Friday, April 25 in front of Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. We need more help from 1 pm to 6 pm.

Join us for College Leafleting Week, April 28 to May 2 at colleges across Minnesota. You can spread the word to dozens or even hundreds of college students by leafleting for just one hour!

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

Last Thursday we had a successful banquet! We had 80 attendees, despite the weather. We’ve published many of the recipes for you to try. Be sure to check out the photos too.

Have you signed up for College Leafleting Week? It’s April 28 to May 2, and we’ll be handing out leaflets across Minnesota. For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, email Moose at moose.kusik@exploreveg.org.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director

Have you bought tickets to our Tenth Annual Banquet? If not, there is still room! Please register today. The Annual Banquet will take place on Thursday, April 3 starting at 5:30 pm at Cedars Hall, 602 University Avenue Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Throughout the year, we work tirelessly to advocate for farm animals. This event is the biggest celebration of what we’ve accomplished! I hope you’ll join me.

This year we’re doing something a little different with our Vegan Food Showcase. Instead of doing the event solo, we’ve partnered with Spring Jam. We expect a larger crowd this year, and a different audience. Let me know if you can help out on Friday, April 25 in the afternoon.

For the animals,

Unny Nambudiripad
Executive Director