A supportive community is a vital component for sustaining your choice to move toward a plant-based diet. A 2014 study by Faunalytics showed that many people who have moved away from vegan and vegetarian eating were lacking that like-minded community, feeling uncomfortable that they stuck out from their usual crowd.
At CAA, we strive to provide community for anyone interested in a more compassionate lifestyle. We welcome everyone no matter where you are on the path, and we hope that you feel encouraged as you get to know others who are making the same compassionate choices.
Our recent event with Dr. Michael Greger was proof positive that this sense of community is essential. For that event, we had more than 230 people come together to learn about plant-based nutrition. They were not only learning something valuable, but they also had the validating experience of being with hundreds of others who are interested in the same things. It’s very inspiring, even for those of us who have been involved with the animal protection movement for a long time. Check out these photos from the event and see for yourself.
We have a couple upcoming events that offer new opportunities for community building: our February Potluck on Sunday, February 21 and our 7th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off on Sunday, February 28. And for an extra boost of involvement, consider volunteering at the Chili Cook-Off.
If you can’t make it to our live events, you always have the option to engage with our online community. Our social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are other good ways to stay connected and motivated.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
p.s. To learn more about the topic of community building to prevent recidivism, check out this article by Vegan Outreach.
Our 7th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off is coming up in just a few weeks. It’s time to get warmed up with some hot vegan chili! Please note that this year’s event has an afternoon time slot and a new venue.
Join us on Sunday, February 28 from 1 to 4pm at Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The event is completely free to attend. You’ll have a spectrum of vegan chili recipes to sample, so bring your appetite and get ready for an afternoon of compassionate fun.
This year, we’ve separated the competition into two different tracks: one for traditional ingredients (bean-based with no vegan meats) and one that we’re calling “non-traditional” (possibly using vegan meats).
All of our contestant spots have been filled, but we could still use some additional volunteers to help make this event a success. Check our website for details on the volunteer positions available and email me at unny@exploreveg.org if you’d like to sign up.
This is one of our most fun events of the year. Please invite your friends using the Facebook event page. We hope you can be there and enjoy all the vegan chili you can handle.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
CAA has lots of events coming up throughout the month of February to keep you connected to the compassionate community. Whether you want to enjoy some good vegan food, learn about plant-based nutrition, or volunteer to help with outreach, we’ve got you covered. And don’t forget: The 7th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off is happening on Sunday, February 28. It’s one of our biggest (and most fun!) events of the year. I hope to see you there!
- February Dine Out: Pizza Nea
- How Not to Die: A Speaking Engagement with Dr. Michael Greger
- Pay-Per-View at the U
- Wednesday, February 10, 10:00am – 2:00pm at Coffman Memorial Union
- If you would like to volunteer with this outreach, contact Hayley McCormack at hayley.mccormack@exploreveg.org.
- Valentine’s Vegan Bake Sale
- Thursday, February 11, 10:00am – 2:00pm at Coffman Memorial Union
- Buy a sweet for your sweetie or for yourself. All the funds raised will support our work advocating for farmed animals.
- Please use the Facebook event page to invite your friends to this event!
- Help Put Up Posters for the Vegan Chili Cook-Off
- Monday, February 15, 6:00 – 8:00pm at Coffman Memorial Union
- If you’d like to help out, contact Jai Whitworth at jai.whitworth@exploreveg.org.
- February Potluck: Vegan Italian
- 7th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off
- Sunday, February 28, 1:00 – 4:00pm at Coffman Memorial Union
- This event is free to attend. Come in out of the cold and get some free chili!
- All contestant spots have been filled, but if you’d like to volunteer to help out at this event email Unny Nambudiripad at unny@exploreveg.org.
- RSVP on the Facebook event page.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
As if the grand opening of The Herbivorous Butcher wasn’t enough excitement for the Twin Cities veg community, now we’ve got Dr. Michael Greger coming to town to give a presentation on his new book, How Not to Die. I hope you’ll join us for this event on Tuesday, February 9 from 7 to 9pm at the Landmark Center in St. Paul.
Dr. Michael Greger is a big deal in the world of plant-based nutrition. His fact-based approach to revealing the benefits of a vegan diet is something CAA is happy to promote. Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your tickets in advance. Tickets are $15 for adults, and a limited number of free tickets are available to those with a student ID.
And the fun as just begun! We’ve got something else to spice up your Minnesota Winter: The 7th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off. This year, this very popular event will be held on Sunday, February 28 from 1 to 4pm at Coffman Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The event is free to attend, and there are also opportunities to be a contestant or to volunteer to help out. Come one, come all!
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
We hope you’ve already heard the big news. The grand opening for the Herbivorous Butcher‘s storefront in northeast Minneapolis is happening this weekend, Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24 from 10am to 6pm each day. This milestone event for the vegan community is sure to be a lot of fun.
Throughout the grand opening weekend, the Herbivorous Butcher will have a number of promotions, giveaways, and a few special surprise guests. For the main event, they’ll be serving up their signature meat-free meats and cheese-free cheeses. For details, check out their Facebook event page.
And speaking of big events, we’ve got a couple special events of our own coming up in February. Be sure to get these on your calendar:
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
The internet is buzzing with lots of great advice on how to make the new year really count for the animals. Check out author Hillary Rettig’s Five Tips for Going Invisibly Vegan in 2016. The article includes a recipe for Blueberry Stud Muffins by the Twin Cities’ own vegan showgirl Mistress Ginger.
Also, we invite you to read our 10 Tips on How to Have a Productive Online Discussion. Let’s face it: While the internet can be an opportunity for learning, there’s also potential for frustrating confrontations that don’t move hearts and minds to benefit the animals. Take a few of the ideas from our blog post with you into your next comment thread and see how the conversation changes for the better.
If you want to get offline for an afternoon and meet other animal advocates in person, join us for our January potluck on this Sunday the 17th at the CAA Community Space from 12:30 to 2:30pm. The theme is “vegan hotdish.” Bring a plant-based casserole or some other vegan treat to share and join in the fun.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
We apologize for the extra email, but our most recent Weekly Update included incorrect links for the upcoming Volunteer Training. Here is information about the upcoming workshop with the correct links:
We hope that you can join us for this and other upcoming CAA events.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
Happy New Year! Thanks to supporters like you, 2015 was a very successful year for CAA. We were able to exceed our goals and expand our outreach for the animals because of the generosity and commitment of people like you. Thank you so much!
We wish you a new year filled with peace, joy, and meaning. Here are a few upcoming events to get 2016 off to a most compassionate start:
Also, be sure to check out the long-awaited grand opening of The Herbivorous Butcher‘s storefront on the weekend of January 23 and 24. Check their Facebook event page for details. It’s sure to be a fun time!
And it’s not too early to save the date for our Annual Banquet. Join us on the evening of Saturday, April 9 at the Wellstone Center in St. Paul. We’ll have more details for you in the next few couple months, but for now please just put it on your calendar. We’d love to have you there!
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
Good news! We made it to our goal with time to spare. But there’s no reason to stop now! We can always do more for the animals who need our help. Our year-end fundraiser continues until December 31 at midnight. Will you give for compassion today?
Your contribution helps us to nurture the growth of our compassionate community. This community is comprised of individuals who care about animals and apply that value in their everyday lives. When more of us choose kindness, more animals are spared the experience of horrific suffering. It does add up. Each of us has the power to make a huge difference.
Thank you for all that you’ve done for the animals in 2015. Through supporting CAA, you’re having a tremendous impact, and we’re very grateful for that. We’ve been doing this work in the Twin Cities region since 1998, and with your help we can continue to speak out for the animals until they receive the justice they deserve. Please make a contribution today and be a part of this movement that seeks liberation for all.
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
We’ve had a phenomenal year at Compassionate Action for Animals. Thank you for being a part of our community and for helping us create a kinder world for everyone.
Our year-end fundraising campaign continues through the end of the month. We’re very close to reaching our goal, but we need your help to make it the rest of the way. Make a contribution today and help us reach $7,500 by December 31. All of these funds are matched 2-for-1 thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor. There’s no better time to give for compassion!
We appreciate your support as we build a compassionate community right here in the Twin Cities region. Do you want to see how we do this? Check out this video slideshow and see what we’ve been doing in the past year. You might just find a picture of yourself in there!
For the animals,
Unny Nambudiripad
