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Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale: Fun for the Whole Family!

3/4/2014

Looking for a fun, meaningful event to do with your kids? How about a vegan bake sale! Join one that's already happening in your area, or start your own! People from all over the world are participating in the 6th annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale that takes place this year between April 26 - May 4. Make it a fun family day--involve the kids through baking, promoting the sale, setting up the table, handling the money, picking the organization to donate the proceeds to, and more. Together, families can help raise awareness one delicious vegan bite at a time...

Photo by Tara Keramaty.

Sixth Annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale-- April 26 through May 4, 2014

GUEST POST by Gary Loewenthal from Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale
Vegan bake sales are a unique blend of fun, outreach, fundraising, and community:

It's fun to see what everyone made, and to see customers enjoying your bake sale's tasty creations.
Delicious vegan cookies, cupcakes, banana bread, and other baked goods can be a surprisingly effective outreach tool. Often one bite can change a skeptic's impression of vegan food, and melt away fears that it is boring or unsatisfying.
Bake sales are a time-tested and popular fundraising technique.
At a bake sale, you're likely to meet others in your community and swap recipes, and get a wonderful sense of community.

Petey from Inhabitots.com

So what is the WVBS? It's almost too simple but maybe that's the key to its success over the last five years:

Each year, around the end of April and the beginning of May, groups all over the world hold vegan bake sales. Each participating group signs up on the WVBS web site, but has complete control over its bake sale, including what to sell and what to do with the proceeds. Anyone can participate. If you can't do it during the “official” week, you can do it as close that week as possible. That's it!

Bake sale in Bethesda, MD.

The WVBS provides great opportunities for family involvement. For example:

You don't have to be an official group to hold a bake sale. Over the years, informal groups of friends, as well as kids on the front porch have organized successful bake sales as part of the WVBS.
School clubs and classes have participated. One advantage of doing it this way is that you already have an excellent place to hold and advertise your bake sale- the school!
Church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious groups can participate (and have participated) in the same fashion.
Girl or boy scout troops- same deal!
Moms and dads can help in all sorts of ways: serving food, decorating the bake sale table, handling the money at the bake sale, promoting, folding to-go boxes, taking pictures, and so forth.
Family Meetup groups- for example, this year the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup group will be hosting a family vegan bake sale on April 27. Location TBD. Join meetup to stay posted.

The WVBS web site has tons of tips on how to have a great bake sale, from finding locations to connecting with bakers to getting the word out to setting prices. You probably will not find a more complete reference for bake sales.

Photos above from Bianca Phillips at VeganCrunk.blogspot.com

If organizing your own bake sale isn't practical, you can check the WVBS schedule to see if there's a participating vegan bake sale near you, and if so, there are lots of opportunities for both kids and adults to help out with that event:

Bake something for it.
See if you can get a local bakery to donate items.
Help promote the bake sale.
Volunteer to help out at the table.

Note: If the sponsoring group is a registered charity, high school students may be able to receive community service credits by volunteering at the bake sale.

I want to suggest one last very simple but crucial thing you can do to help out vegan bake sales and the WVBS. But first...

Kerstin's Ⓥ kitchen

Bake sales are a great way for families to have fun and do good at the same time. With vegan bake sales specifically, you're helping to create a more peaceful and compassionate world. Other articles on this web site talk about the cruelty of dairy and eggs, so there's no need to repeat that here. But one of the many disturbing aspects of dairy and egg production-- and this applies to organic, free-range, and small operations, too-- is that it destroys animals' families. Baby calves are torn from their mothers on dairy farms, and egg-laying hens are denied growing up with a mother (almost all come from industrial hatcheries and are shipped to their destinations). Cows and hens are often looked upon as the epitome of doting, tender mothers. By showing people the deliciousness of vegan baked goods, you're gently but perhaps quite convincingly opening their eyes to a kinder alternative. To a degree, vegan bake sales are families helping families.

And now for the final tip...if you don't have the time or other resources to organize or help out at a participating vegan bake sale, there is something else you can do, which is essential and very easy and enjoyable: Attend the nearest participating bake sale in your area, buy some tasty treats, contribute to a worthy cause, and support your local, talented, hard-working, creative vegan bakers!

BIG THANK YOU to Gary Loewenthal for organizing such an important worldwide event!

NOTE: If you are in the New York City area, the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup group will be hosting a family vegan bake sale on April 27. Location TBD. Join meetup to stay posted.

Bianca Phillips from VeganCrunk.blogspot.com

Join the Sixth Annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale on April 26 through May 4, 2014

If you're in NYC...
RSVP to join the NYC Vegetarian and Vegan Families Meetup bake sale on May 3rd from 1-3pm at Peacefood Cafe. Or stop by for some tasty vegan treats! All proceeds will be donated to Catskill Animal Sanctuary.

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Be Proud and Confident in Your Decision to Raise a Vegan Child!

1/30/2013

14 Comments

I wrote a post for Girlie Girl Army that I wanted to re-share on my website. It’s a piece for parents who are raising vegan kids. I hope it will give you the courage and pride to raise a child according to principles of integrity and compassion. Here it is!

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar." -- Bradley Miller

ORIGINAL ON Girlie Girl Army:
"When I tell people that I’m raising my child vegan, I sometimes feel as though I have to defend and explain my decision. My decision is passive, I'm just leaving out certain foods from her diet. But parents who are feeding their kids meat, dairy, and eggs are actively adding in foods. So shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t they have to defend their decision to purchase that hot dog that came from a pig who never stepped foot on grass or saw the sky (except from the slot in the truck on her way to the slaughterhouse) and whose mother was forced to live in a tiny metal crate amid her own urine and feces, where she was unable to even turn around or take a step forward or backward for weeks on end?

Why don’t parents who are feeding their kids meat and other products taken from animals have to defend their decision? They’re giving their kids cow’s milk, which is exactly that … cow’s milk! Isn’t that a little strange? It’s meant to fatten up calves. Humans are the only species that drinks another species’ milk, and we’re the only species that drinks any milk past infancy. Casino mogul Steve Wynn said it best: “It’s liquid cholesterol!”

What exactly is it that people are concerned that my child will be missing out on … high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity? It surely can’t be protein, calcium, or iron because there are tons of healthy plant-based sources (spinach, nuts, whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fortified juices, cereals, pasta, etc.) that don’t have the added fat and cholesterol, not to mention the hormones and antibiotics.

The sad truth is, in this society, any behavior or child-rearing decision that goes against the norm is often seen as wrong or irresponsible. Even weird. And that’s a shame because it often prevents people (in this case, parents) from doing the right thing. Unfortunately, society’s backlash is a strong deterrent, and so is the desire to adhere to the status quo.

NYC Veggie Parade, 2012

Despite the many studies indicating that vegan diets are not only appropriate for children, but may in fact be healthier (for example, the American Dietetic Association—the nation’s largest group of nutrition professionals—stated, “Well-planned vegan diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes”), parents are still opting to add animal products to their children’s diet, mainly as a result of tradition and being constantly bombarded with messages from the dairy and meat industries. Years of slogans like “Milk does the body good” and “You need meat for protein” have been drilled into our heads by multi-billion dollar industries pushing their products. If milk does the body so “good” then why is it that the countries that consume the most milk are also the countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis- and vice versa. And the more animal protein that a population consumes, the higher the prevalence of osteoporosis. There is a big protein myth out there, but the fact is Americans eat about 400% more protein than necessary, and even vegetarians eat more than they need.

It would be unethical for me to feed my child meat, dairy, or eggs based on what I know about how animals are raised for food. You can look the other way or deny that it’s as bad as they say, but the truth is, the majority of meat/dairy and eggs sold in this country (>95%) come from animals who have been raised in appalling conditions in overcrowded, filthy warehouses, where they are crammed into small cages and crates and denied basic necessities, including fresh air, sunshine, grass, and companionship. Simply put, I don’t believe that animals should be treated like this, so I’m choosing to leave cruel animal products out of my child’s diet. I’m teaching her that if she wants to help end animal suffering and also not knowingly contribute to major environmental problems including climate change, water and air pollution, deforestation, and soil erosion she has to be a part of the solution, and that means not supporting it (with dollars). This is what it really means to live according to your values.

Catskill Animal Sanctuary

People raise their children according to their own set of morals and values. Just like a Buddhist wouldn’t raise her child Catholic and an environmentalist wouldn’t raise his child to be wasteful, I wouldn’t serve my child chicken fingers or ice cream. Children are little extensions of ourselves (at least until they’re old enough to make their own decisions). In our society, we typically do not allow children to make the decision to participate in anything that is morally questionable until they are of age. Since I consider the way that animals are raised for food in this country to be morally abhorrent, I therefore would not impose animal products upon my child and would not allow her to make that decision until she is old enough to think critically and understand the consequences.

So instead of focusing on what a vegan child is not getting (fat-laden, cholesterol-filled slabs of meat as well as milk, cheese, and eggs from miserable animals who’ve been raised in terrible conditions), let’s focus on what they are getting (a healthy balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds). And my daughter is getting a whole lot more than that including a moral compass based on compassion, justice, courage, and integrity. So if you’re raising a vegan child like I am, stop being on the defensive, and start embracing it! Be proud that you are living with intention and consciously choosing compassion over cruelty!"

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Vegan Family Safaris by Liz Longacre

2/7/2012

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I'm excited to share this post. Liz Longacre, the founder of Gentle Living talks about my two favorite things-- traveling and animals! She just came back from a vegan safari in Africa and below she tells us all about it. Safaris are a wonderful way to introduce kids to wild animals instead of at zoos, aquariums, animal shows and other "entertainment" venues. Read on to find out how you can take your family on an animal-friendly vegan safari...

Liz Longacre, founder of Gentle Living

Guest post by Liz Longacre, founder of Gentle Living
Traveling abroad as a vegan can get tricky. Some countries just aren’t as vegan-friendly as others. Traveling with vegan children gets even more complicated. Going on an African safari as a vegan family? Impossible?

Where are you going to find food? Will your tour guides make sure your vegan requirements are taken care of? Will you have to feed your children junk food the whole time to get by?

While veganism is growing, the travel industry is a long way away from truly recognizing this market. And unfortunately, animals are often exploited through tourism instead of protected by it.

When I started selling vegan safaris in Tanzania through my boutique travel company, Your Time Travels, I had no idea if they were going to work well. Would my local guides take vegan restrictions seriously? Is veganism even understood in Tanzania? Would they really deliver on everything I was asking them to do?

Somehow I serendipitously lucked out and found local guides in Tanzania, a top safari destination, who go above and beyond when it comes to my very detailed vegan safari food requirements. Unlike most local guides who I’ve presented this request to, they actually seem to enjoy the challenge of creating vegan safaris. They’ve been the most amazing people to work with and have delivered over and over again when it comes to making sure vegan clients are well fed.

To my surprise my local guides recently invited me on a vegan safari so I could experience what I’ve been selling firsthand. Needless to say, our safari was amazing and the people I work with were even more wonderful than I imagined. Below are some pictures of the amazing, healthy and fresh food we ate in Tanzania.

Traveling on safari with a company that doesn’t take your food requirements seriously can be tricky. You can’t walk to a nearby restaurant, you have to rely on your guides, your private chefs, and/or the hotels you’re staying at to make sure your food needs are being met.

While in Africa I met another vegan couple on safari who said that once the travel company they hired took their money, they no longer cared about their food restrictions. They were not given vegan meals and they both ended up getting food poisoning and being sick for four days straight. What a way to ruin a safari!

Family Safaris
Safaris are a great travel option for families (provided a doctor approves any necessary vaccinations and malaria pills for your children). If you’re vegan, you likely don’t take your children to many zoos or circuses to see animals, as so many other parents do. On safari you get to introduce your children to the animal world as it should be, where animals are roaming free in protected parks living the way nature intended. Tourist dollars are what protect these parks from poachers and land destruction.

Note: Unfortunately there are some people who choose to go to Africa to kill its animals, through hunting safaris (in designated parks). Tourism allows for that. As long as you’re spending your money responsibly, you can help use tourism as a tool for animal welfare, not as a weapon against it.

A few ways to ensure your children love their safari adventure:

•      Go on shorter safari drives so children don’t get antsy. During the safari drives the guides make sure to educate the children on everything they’re seeing to keep them engaged. Some of the animals they’ll see in Tanzania include elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeests, hippos, rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, monkeys, gazelles, elands, hyenas, ostriches, and an endless variety of bird species.

•      Entertain them with a camera, binoculars and games while on safari.

•      Stay in family friendly hotels with swimming pools, TVs, soccer, cards, arts & crafts, games, and live entertainment. There are even babysitting options so parents can have some time alone.

•      Introduce them to local tribes to learn cultural dances and traditions.

•      Explore different national parks each day with different
concentrations of animal species.

•      Arrange outdoor picnic lunches.

•      Visit a local orphanage.

•      End your vacation on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar, islands off the coast of Tanzania, where children can enjoy the beach and swimming pool.

As an animal lover, being on safari was an emotionally moving experience. You’re surrounded by animals and nature for as far as you can see. It was so nice to be in a country where there were no elephant rides or other animal performances. Just animals roaming freely. A lion even walked over to our truck to lie in the shade of our vehicle after it was done eating (not a usual occurrence) and herds of elephants seemed to constantly appear out of nowhere. What a great way to educate your children on the animal kingdom.

If you are interested in booking a vegan family safari, you can contact Liz at liz@gentlelivingonline.com. For more information on these safaris click here. To see a sample family safari itinerary click here.

Editor's Note: Having been to Africa, I can attest to the fact that there is no place on earth like it. In 2002, I went to South Africa for 9-weeks and volunteered helping animals. It was one of the best experiences of my life. That is why I plan on taking my daughter there once she gets a little bit older. I want her to see wild animals living in their natural environment. As she gets older she will understand (and hopefully embrace) the many reasons why we avoid artifical places where animals live such as zoos, aquariums, circuses and other venues in which animals are denied many of their basic instincts, desires, and needs, and often suffer from loneliness, fear, anxiety and despair.

Liz Longacre is the founder of Gentle Living. Gentle Living addresses all aspects of living a gentle but powerful life. From self-love, to animal welfare, to travel, to home decor, to ethical beauty & fashion, to an advice column, it’s all gentle; not weak, just gentle. Being gentle is sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for yourself and the world around you. Gentle Living has a travel department called Your Time Travels.

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Teaching Kids to Be Kind by Ingrid Newkirk

11/29/2011

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Please read this important post about teaching kids to be kind to animals written exclusively for RaisingVegKids.com by Ingrid Newkirk, President and cofounder of PETA, the largest animal rights organization in the world.

Ingrid as a child

Guest post by Ingrid Newkirk, President and cofounder of PETA
When I was 8 years old, I left the English town where I grew up and headed off, with my parents, to India. My mother, who volunteered to help lepers, orphans, unwed mothers, and neglected animals, taught me to have empathy for all beings. "It doesn’t matter who suffers," she said, "but how."

One day, while I was sitting at the dining room table, I saw a bull outside, pulling a heavy cart, not an unusual sight in New Delhi. The bull stumbled and couldn't go any further. The cart driver raised his stick and beat the bull on the back, then lifted the bull's tail and thrust the end of the stick into his rectum. The bull collapsed, and I ran outside to his defense, not thinking how small I was. My outrage at this injustice and cruelty fueled my steps. I wrenched the stick from the man's hand and was about to bash
him with it when a servant from a nearby property, who had come running after me, held back my hand. It was the first in a long line of instances when my passion to protect animals from needless pain was ignited.

Now, as president and cofounder of PETA, the largest animal rights organization in the world, I strive to teach others to treat animals with the same compassion and respect that they wish to be shown. As I wrote in my book, 50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals, "Animals have feelings, just as you and I do. … [A]ll animals, from the familydog to the tiniest mouse are like us―living, feeling beings. We can learn more about how animals experience life by trying to better understand their needs and
their feelings."

50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals is packed with fascinating animal facts, illustrations, jokes, puzzles, and fun activities that teach children to think about and empathize with animals. Kids learn that they can help end animal suffering simply by eating healthy vegan foods, choosing cruelty-free products, wearing cool animal-friendly fashions, attending fun animal-free circuses, or supporting responsible animal shelters rather than pet stores.

It's important to teach children to be kind to animals. As George Angell the founder of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals explained, when he was asked why he didn't help children instead of animals, "I am working at
the roots. If you teach a child to be kind to a caterpillar, you do as much for the child as you do for the caterpillar."

By teaching your children to have respect and compassion for all living beings, you can help create a more just and merciful world. PETAKids.com is also full of entertaining and educational tips, contests, and games that will help teach your child be kind to animals.

3 Comments

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale: Fun for the Whole Family!

Be Proud and Confident in Your Decision to Raise a Vegan Child!

Vegan Family Safaris by Liz Longacre

Teaching Kids to Be Kind by Ingrid Newkirk

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