Recap: HSUS Taking Action for Animals Conference 2024

HSUS hosted the Taking Action for Animals Conference in Washington, D.C. on July 19 - 21st, 2024, bringing together leaders in the animal welfare, rights and law community for a weekend of learning and lobbying.

The hotel chef prepared incredible meals for the attendees, including vegetable wellington, apple crumble, ravioli and chocolate mousse cake. We thank HSUS for being one of our Policy Leaders, and pledging to only serve plant-based food at their events.

In addition to sharing Food For Thought’s initiatives and mission with attendees, we also had the opportunity to attend sessions regarding animal welfare law and how we can be effective advocates in our daily lives. This information was vital and eye-opening, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such experienced leaders in the welfare community!

Recap: Best Friends Animal Society Conference 2024

Best Friends Animal Society hosted their annual conference in Orlando, Florida from July 11-13, 2024. Hundreds of attendees from the shelter, rescue and animal care community gathered to discuss, celebrate and learn about how we can all work towards a more humane future for animals.

Congratulations to Kelli, our raffle basket winner!

Eden, our West Coast and Central Coordinator, was inspired by the incredible conversations at our booth - there is a clear demand for plant-based event menu’s, and the food at this conference did not disappoint! Vegetable and quinoa salad, chocolate cake and rigatoni with plant-based meatballs were just a few of the highlight dishes.

Many attendees were engaged and excited by Food For Thought’s initiatives and mission - a few organizations even applied for a grant or policy on the spot! There was incredible reception to our mission, and it was a wonderful opportunity to reach a wide audience of engagement.

We would like to thank Best Friends Animal Society for inviting us to exhibit, as well as our many generous raffle basket donors including Dr. Bronner, Go Max Go foods, Dr. Melanie Joy, Vegan Club, Mad Hippie, Dandie’s Marshmallows and more!

RECAP: HSUS ANIMAL CARE EXPO 2024

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) hosted its annual Animal Care Expo in the vibrant city of San Antonio, TX, from May 15-17, 2024. This in-person event brought together over 2,500 dedicated attendees from various sectors, including animal shelters, spay and neuter clinics, and veterinary education programs. The conference was a hub of knowledge, compassion, and inspiring discussions about animal welfare.

Beth represented Food for Thought at the conference and had an amazing time chatting with lots of enthusiastic attendees. People were really interested in learning more about our mission. The response was fantastic, with many visitors to our booth agreeing on the importance of extending compassion to farmed animals. It's clear that there's a growing awareness and commitment to comprehensive animal welfare at shelters and rescues.

We had some great conversations with attendees, many of whom took brochures or signed up for more information. Quite a few people were excited about presenting our program and grant opportunities to their Boards, which could lead to some awesome collaborations in the future.

One of the highlights of the conference was the vegan catering, which received rave reviews from attendees. The variety and excitement of the vegan food options demonstrated how delicious and diverse vegan events can be, reinforcing our message that compassion can be both ethical and enjoyable. Our favorite has to be the vegetable and mushroom trees—how cool are they!

The 2024 Animal Care Expo in San Antonio was a significant milestone for Food for Thought. We are excited about future collaborations and the continued journey towards a more compassionate world for all animals. See you in 2025!

Vegan Event Grant Recipient: Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center

Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center recently held their first vegan event called Tito's & Tails!

This fundraiser benefited homeless cats and dogs in their community and we're happy to say that serving vegan food surpassed their expectations. Their cater, Kick Ass Vegan, provided delicious vegan food including pineapple shrimp bowls, ceviche, mac and cheese, jackfruit taquitos, stuffed mushrooms, chips and guacamole, and cookies. All of their guests raved about it! We're excited to see yet another successful vegan event!