Policy Grant Recipient: Ohlone Humane Society

We’re excited to announce a new Policy Grant recipient, Ohlone Humane Society! This Californian-based animal welfare nonprofit advocates for all animals. They serve the Fremont, Newark, and Union City areas and rescue companion animals to native species. In addition to foster and adoption, Ohlone Humane Society provides several community programs including humane education, spay and neuter assistance, an urban wildlife rehabilitation center, and more!

We also love their mission statement: “Ohlone Humane Society strives to inspire respect and compassion for all animals, advocate for their interests and welfare, and instill in our community that all living beings have the right to be treated humanely.” Having a vegan menu policy, they are a perfect example of an organization whose menu aligns with their mission.

Congratulations on adopting a policy and thank you for all your hard work!

Policy Grant Recipient: American Tortoise Rescue

Food for Thought is proud to announce our new Policy Grant recipient, American Tortoise Rescue!

Founded in 1990 and Located in Malibu, CA they provide protection and sanctuary to all species of tortoise and turtle. They have successfully re-homed over 4,000 tortoises and turtles; permanent sanctuary is given to those with special needs and they stay in the care of American Tortoise Rescue for the remainder of their lives. 

ATR are leaders in tortoise and turtle education; offering information about the care, feeding, and rehabilitation of endangered and captive-born tortoises. They are also advocates who work to abolish “live market” slaughter of turtles and the cruel importation and exploitation of these animals as food. It’s no wonder this amazing organization has extended it’s compassionate work to include a vegan menu policy for their events. Their policy states:

“For 30 years, founders Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson have firmly held the belief that if you love animals, you don’t eat them. Meat animals and fish suffer greatly during factory farming, and the world’s climate is suffering because of meat consumption as well. By reducing the consumption of meat and by eating a plant based diet, we can all make a difference in our lives and those of the animals we love.”

We couldn’t be happier to award ATR this grant for their dedication to all animals. Their work is especially needed during this time. Thank you, American Tortoise Rescue!

To learn more about how you can support them, visit: www.tortoise.com

Recap: Animal Rights National Conference 2019

This past July, Wildlife & Environmental Coordinator Barbara Troyer spoke at the Animal Rights National Conference (AR 2019) in Washington, D.C. as part of a panel she organized called "Sustainable Food Policies and Climate Crisis: Earth- and Animal-friendly Menus for a Changing Planet!"

Barb Troyer.

Chloe Waterman, Barb Troyer, and Liberty Mulkani.

Alysoun Mahoney and Barb Troyer.

In addition to Barb, the panel included Chloe Waterman, Senior Food Campaigner, Friends of the Earth and Liberty Mulkani, Project Management Program Director, Animal Legal Defense Fund. Barb’s presentation focused on menu policy adoption successes (and challenges) with environmental and wildlife nonprofits and highlighted Food for Thought’s innovative grant opportunities. Chloe spoke about her impactful food policy work with schools and governmental organizations and Liberty gave real-world examples and practical tips on putting sustainability policy into action at large events. This isn’t the first time this powerful team of women has come together—earlier this year, they presented at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) in Eugene, OR. The panel was so successful, they wanted to do it again, and the AR 2019 audience appeared to be a good fit.

The panel’s unique Sustainable Food Policies topic stood out from the 80+ other sessions at AR2019 and drew a good crowd, with engaged attendees who packed the room. One person even thanked the panel team, saying it was the most valuable session she attended at the conference and that they were presenting important information not heard anywhere else that weekend!

In addition to the panel, Barb tabled and networked throughout the conference, engaging with nonprofit employees and activists from around the world. Food for Thought donor and volunteer Alysoun Mahoney also generously lent a hand at the table each day!

The Food for Thought team was pleased with the opportunity to present at AR 2019 and we look forward to promoting our work, as well as strengthening partnerships with other nonprofits, at future Animal Rights National Conferences.

Vegan Event Grant Recipient: Wildlife Rescue League

We’re pleased to highlight recent event grant recipient, Wildlife Rescue League (WRL), based in Falls Church, Virginia. WRL provides care for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife with the intent of releasing them back into their native habitat; and they run a wildlife assistance helpline too!

WRL’s Groundhog Day Vegan Luncheon was well attended and a fun and educational way to introduce delicious plant-based foods to the public and WRL’s members and volunteers. During the lunch, a WRL board member spoke compellingly and comprehensively about the case to be vegan for wildlife, and quoted our Why Vegan for Wildlife? resource. Food for Thought donor and volunteer, Alysoun Mahoney was also given the opportunity to talk generally about the FFT program and resources available.

On the tasty all-vegan and organic menu, prepared by GreenFare Organic Cafe: Local greens with orange walnut salad dressing, veggie chili over brown rice, sweet potato lasagna, and apple crispy for dessert.

WRL has now adopted a plant-based menu policy, “in recognition of the destruction of wildlife habitat that is caused by animal agriculture and the killing of wildlife that is done to protect livestock. The organization hopes that the new policy will bring attention to the ways our everyday meal choices may impact wildlife.”

Congratulations, Wildlife Rescue League, on your successful vegan luncheon and on your menu policy leadership which serves as an example to other wildlife organizations!

For more on the event, WRL put together these video highlights.

Food for Thought How to: "Why Vegan?" Resource

At Food for Thought, we’re here to help. We’re here to help all species, our planet, and each other. Our campaign encourages animal, environmental, and wildlife nonprofit organizations to adopt animal- and earth-friendly menu policies. By doing so, these organizations’ actions and ethics better align, and their impacts are further amplified.

Food for Thought wants to bridge common gaps in thinking. In order to make the transition to veg-only events as simple as possible, we have a variety of resources to offer. From sample letters to grant opportunities to testimonials and beyond, Food for Thought wants to make it easier for your board to approve a formal policy. One of our most popular resources is our Why Vegan? series. We offer Why Vegan for Farmed Animals, Why Vegan for the Planet, and Why Vegan for Wildlife, all of which dive deeper into the reasons why respective groups will benefit from going plant-based. 

• In Why Vegan for Farmed Animals, we focus on how all nonhuman animals deserve the same amount of respect and compassion—whether they be a kitten or a piglet. Just like the animals we share our homes with, farmed animals are sentient beings who have the innate desire to live. After all, it doesn’t make any sense to host an event to raise money to save animals’ lives while serving other species for the meal.

• Why Vegan for the Planet emphasizes the realities of animal agriculture and its effects on the health of our earth. The two are directly linked due to the fact that the production of meat is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a top contributor for loss of biodiversity, species extinction, and pollution. One of the best ways to become true leaders in the sustainability movement is to forgo all animal products.

• Why Vegan for Wildlife discusses the need to help all nonhuman animals, especially since more than 98% of animals that die at the hands of humans are actually farmed animals; therefore, wildlife nonprofits should consider extending their impact to include helping these species. Animal agriculture is also one of the leading threats to wildlife habitat loss, as well as waterway contamination, ecosystems disruptions, and deforestation. In order to further their own conservation efforts, wildlife groups would benefit from no longer supporting the very businesses that are hurting the lands and species they are trying to save.

At Food for Thought, our aim is to help all of these groups realize we have a responsibility to every living creature and to the health of our planet. Whichever cause is closest to your heart, please consider sharing the appropriate Why Vegan? resource with those stakeholders. One change can make a world of difference in all three areas.

Expand your compassion to your org’s own plate by adopting a plant-based menu policy. Let Food for Thought help you get started today! Contact us to get your organization on track to having its values and actions match up.​

Vegan Event Grant Recipient: Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment

We’re happy to report on another successful event, this time by Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment, of Grand Island, NY. Wildlife Appreciation and Education Day brought together a diverse group of people to talk about and educate on compassionate coexistence and habitat and wildlife protection—and snacks were provided through our Food for Thought vegan event grant!

Event organizer Dave Reilly said that the food was a big hit, with many attendees expressing their shock that it was all vegan. The enticing comfort food spread put together by local community college food service included vegan “mac and cheese,” plant-based sliders, and pickled beet and chef salads. According to Reilly, the college caterer was so pleased with their completely vegan menu, that they plan to advertise it as an option for future events, which will help even more functions go vegan!

​A big thanks to the Coalition for encouraging people to consider the choices they make that affect both animals and the environment.

Center for Biological Diversity and Animal Place Partner to Offer Food for Thought on Animal Agriculture

Gary Smith | Evolutus PR | 818-783-0569 | gary@evolotuspr.com

Patti Nyman | Animal Place | 530-477-1757 ext 3 | patti@animalplace.org

Jessica Herrera | Center for Biological Diversity | 520-260-1725 | jherrera@biologicaldiversity.org

​​GRASS VALLEY, and SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Animal Place and the Center for Biological Diversity today announced they are teaming up to call on environmental organizations and conferences to adopt earth- and animal-friendly menu policies.
 
Among other projects, the two groups are co-developing materials, securing speaking opportunities, and challenging the movement to adopt plant-based policies with Animal Place’s “Food for Thought” campaign.

“The environmental community can no longer ignore the disastrous effects of animal agriculture on the planet,” said Stephanie Feldstein, population and sustainability director of the Center for Biological Diversity. “If we want to protect the environment, we need to switch to a diet that’s better for the climate, wildlife, and our own health by reducing our meat consumption.”
 
Animal agriculture is a primary cause of climate change, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, water use, pesticide use, and pollution. It is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. And Americans eat an average of three times as much meat per capita as the rest of the world.
 
“By joining forces with Center for Biological Diversity, we have an important ally in the environmental movement as we promote the necessity of veganism for sustainability, preserving habitats, and protecting all animal species,” said Patti Nyman, Campaigns Manager at Animal Place.
 
The Center’s Take Extinction Off Your Plate campaign is the first program of its kind making the connection between animal agriculture and threats to wildlife. It encourages people to reduce meat consumption as a critical means of reducing their environmental footprint. In accordance with its mission, the Center’s board-approved menu policy specifies that organizational events serve only plant-based foods.
 
Animal Place maintains a “report card” of organizations that have board-approved earth- and animal-friendly menu policies—and those that do not. Its Food for Thought campaign works with and awards grants to animal and environmental protection groups to encourage animal-friendly vegan menus at their sponsored events, and is endorsed by national organizations and federations, veterinarians, celebrities, and other public figures.
 
About the Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For more information visit biologicaldiversity.org.
 
About Animal Place
Animal Place, founded in 1989, is one of the oldest and largest animal sanctuaries in the nation, operating a 600-acre sanctuary in Grass Valley, California and an all-vegan market in Berkeley, California. Animal Place’s California animal shelters fill a much-needed niche of farmed animal rescue, sanctuary, education, and adoption. Animals arrive from small and large farms, slaughterhouses, research facilities, and neglect or cruelty cases. Nestled between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, its Grass Valley location offers tours, cooking classes, and workshops at the sanctuary as well as volunteer and internship opportunities. In 2010, Animal Place began rescuing animals directly from California egg farms, and since then has saved more than 26,000 hens. Animal Place—named best farm sanctuary in the country by Best in Shelter—is a nonprofit 501c3 organization funded by private donors. For more information, visit animalplace.org.