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Workplace Giving: Matches and Campaigns
Want to make a difference for farmed animals at your work? Here are two possible ways to give to Compassionate Action for Animals through your employer.
If you choose either, please let us know. We want to thank you for making our work for the animals possible!
Employer matches: double your gift!
Did you know that many employers will match a gift you make to Compassionate Action for Animals?
To find out if this is a benefit offered by your employer, contact your Human Resources department. If you work for a large company, you can also check this list.
If your employer does provide a match, you’ll need to fill out a form with information about the total amount of your gift and contact information for Compassionate Action for Animals.
See the information you may need in the “information you may need” section below to get the details.
Workplace giving campaigns
Many workplaces conduct employee giving campaigns. This is when employees designate part of their paycheck to go to charity.
It’s important to know you can give to Compassionate Action for Animals through the United Way!
On the United Way giving form, there will be a space where you can specify a nonprofit. Write in Compassionate Action for Animals.
Information you may need
Compassionate Action for Animals
2100 1st Ave. S, Suite 200
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 276-2242
[email protected]
Federal Employer Identification Number: 41-1846192
Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Animal Advocacy Movement
Written by Julie Knopp
How do we create an inclusive and equitable animal advocacy movement that allows people of all genders to give their all for the animals? How do we skillfully respond to allegations of sexual violence from activists against other activists, and prevent more of these incidents from happening? How do we ensure that women are just as represented in leadership roles as they are among all advocates? How do we make our movement more inclusive and welcoming to trans people?
CAA supporters Unny Nambudiripad, Amy Yule, Matt Schroeder, and I (Julie Knopp) have been thinking a lot about these questions. We want to create an inclusive community of animal advocates where people of all genders feel welcome and have equal access to leadership opportunities.
To start a conversation around these important issues, we’re working together to put on a free, day-long workshop called Equality Squared: Gender Equity in the Animal Advocacy Community. The goal of this workshop is to build skills to resist interpersonal and institutional sexism. Free lunch will be provided. All genders are part of the solution, so we encourage all to attend. You can register to attend here.
This event will begin with a brief introduction to gender issues in the animal advocacy community. We will spend the rest of the morning training ourselves as bystanders through role play and collaborative problem solving facilitated by the Aurora Center. After lunch, Raechel Tiffe will lead participants to develop community action plans. Groups will have the opportunity to create a specific gender equity solution and a plan for implementation. We will conclude with data-driven take-home recommendations to promote more equitable operations in our respective institutions. Unny Nambudiripad (CAA co-founder and former Executive Director) and Julie Knopp (CAA Board Member and Wholesome Minnesota Program Coordinator) will MC the event. Each participant will leave with the skills to create a more inclusive community of animal advocates.
This event is the first step towards a broader ongoing conversation and effort towards equity in our animal advocacy community. The event planners acknowledge that the event will be limited by time and will have to leave many elements of this issue unexplored. We do not consider ourselves experts on the issues; our hope is to facilitate a dialogue that will help foster growth and learning for all, including ourselves.
To learn more, register, or donate, visit the Equality Squared website. Information is also available on the Facebook event page. Click here to fill out the registration form for this event.
Volunteer Story: Take the Leap With Me
An interview with Yunuén Ávila, CAA Volunteer and Explore Veg Mentor Program Coordinator
What drew you personally to veganism?
I started choosing to be vegetarian (without really knowing that that was even “a thing”) when I was a baby. My mom said that I would spit out meat or feed it to my pets. I would also cry when I was forced to eat meat. As a young teen, I made my mom a promise, “When I turn 18, I’m becoming a real vegetarian and you can’t stop me.” My mom was offended and worried at the time, since the Hispanic/Latino culture relies heavily on meat consumption—you’re either “poor” or something is wrong with you if you chose to abstain from it.
I was a proud Lacto-Ovo vegetarian until I stumbled on the dark side of YouTube: videos of animal cruelty, animal testing, the dairy industry, and more. I remember I was sobbing in pain, feeling anger at the abusers, and feeling anger at my own hypocrisy.
“How is it that I say that I “love” animals, but I pay these monsters to torture and kill these living and sentient beings?!”
I remember setting my laptop on the kitchen floor and in rage, I went into my kitchen cupboards and threw everything out on the floor. I did the same in the bathroom. I sobbed on the floor as I read the labels on the canned goods and toiletries to see if they had any animal ingredients or if they’d been tested on animals. That day in May, seven years ago, was my true “AHA” moment. I had become a vegan for the animals.
Seven years ago, veganism wasn’t as popular as it is now and I relied heavily on social media pages that encouraged the vegan lifestyle. Although I had found myself, I still didn’t feel like I “belonged” anywhere. I was an outcast to the “meat-eaters” and an outcast to the judgmental vegan community I had found on social media. I struggled with veganism for a while until I stumbled across Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA). They received me with open arms and with them, I felt I had found my home and community. THIS is what veganism is all about: it’s about COMPASSION—compassion towards our animal friends and towards ALL people, no matter what stage in their veg-journey they’re on. I began being active with CAA and volunteering as much as I could. They offered veg-activism training and I wasn’t hesitant to attend. I’ve been volunteering at CAA for four years now and the only thing I regret is not being a vegan and a CAA volunteer sooner.
All in all, it’s never too late to have that “aha” moment. If you’re reading this, this might be the time to spark that change in your life and be the one whom our animal friends thank for letting them live their lives to the fullest.
How do you explain your vegan lifestyle to folks if and when they ask about it?
Veganism is not only about avoiding the consumption of animals or abstaining from wearing anything that derived from animals or that has been tested on animals. It’s a moral and mental awakening of the horrific suffering these living and sentient beings have to endure on their short-“lived” lives. It’s about making a conscious decision to not participate in the abuse. It’s also about perspective. If one frowns upon the other side of the world for consuming who we view as pets in this country, then why is it okay to consume farmed animals? If I stopped drinking my mother’s breast milk at a young age, then why is it viewed as normal to consume milk at an adult age, especially milk that doesn’t belong to us in the first place? Supply and demand. The more one demands plant-based food, the less suffering there will be. Take the leap with me.
What is your favorite dish to share with veg and non-veg folks?
My husband’s, Sanchez Brown, “famous” authentic, vegan tacos and my “famous” vegan spinach and cheeze lasagne. (P.S. If you want to try Sanchez’s tacos, they’re exclusive to CAA volunteer appreciation events. Sign up to volunteer today!)
Besides volunteering with CAA, what are you up to these days?
I advocate for workers (union activism) and for the voiceless. In my spare time, my husband and I like to throw parties, make tons of vegan dishes to share, and then show them off to our non-veg friends to try so they can get a taste of the beauty of veganism.
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Looking to make a change in your life? You can find free veg resources on our website and sign up for the Explore Veg Mentor Program. To get involved with CAA, visit our volunteers page to let us know what you’re interested in getting involved with. All are welcome!
Feeding School-Aged Vegans – Growing Up Vegan Part 3
Written by Suzy Sorensen, RD, LD, CDE
School-aged children are gradually gaining independence and exploring their place in the world around them. It’s never too early to talk about why we choose a vegan lifestyle: compassion for others, keeping our bodies healthy, and taking care of the planet are family values for many!
It’s a great time to dig into veg-friendly books and movies and maybe even visit a local farm sanctuary to engage young children! There are lots of great offerings available. An online search brings back hundreds of ideas.
A balanced vegan meal plan can meet children’s nutrition needs while offering health benefits. Research shows that vegan children eat more fruits, vegetables, and fiber than their peers and eat less fat and cholesterol. They tend to have healthy body weights and may have reduced risk for chronic disease later in life.
All children need enough calories to support growth, and even more with extra physical activity! Children might need to add in snacks between meals or around extra activity.
To add a nutritious calorie boost at snack time, try:
- “Trail mix” with nuts or seeds and dried fruit
- Crackers or an apple with nut butter
- Guacamole on corn chips or on a small tortilla
- Veggies dipped in hummus
Iron and calcium are especially important for growth, so iron-rich foods like beans, iron-fortified cereals, and leafy greens should be included in the diet.
Calcium sources like fortified plant milks and juices, almonds and almond butter, calcium-set tofu, and leafy greens (broccoli, kale, bok choy) should also be present.
School-aged children can be included in meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping, and packing lunch. At mealtime, follow the advice of feeding expert Ellen Satter and use her Division of Responsibility method: parents are responsible at meals for what, when, and where of feeding while children are responsible for how much and whether or not. This can alleviated the pressure of cooking multiple meals or items to please everyone.
Children can be included in meal planning and preparation, grocery shopping, and packing lunch. Older kids might want to pack their own lunch. Encourage following a guideline such as My Vegan Plate to assure protein, produce, and starch at each meal.
It can be easy to match the school lunch menu with vegan options like tacos and burritos, spaghetti and veggie balls, veggie dogs and burgers, or grilled “cheeze.” For beautiful lunchbox options, check out the Vegan Lunchbox book by Jennifer McCann! An online search also offers up lots of lunch bag-friendly vegan ideas. A small ice pack and a thermos allow for increased variety and using bento boxes or other containers with small compartments can make lunch even more appealing and help to encourage balanced eating!
Please note: This information, while accurate, does not provide an all-inclusive feeding plan and is not intended to substitute personal medical advice. It is intended to offer guidance only. We recommend working with a registered dietitian to help meet any specific questions you may have.
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Suzy Sorensen is a Twin Cities-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who is passionate about plant-based eating! She has a Certificate of Training in Vegetarian Nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and opened Move2Veg Nutrition Counseling in 2009 to support those interested in plant-based eating. For more information, visit move2veg.com.
Totally Baked Donuts
Totally Baked Donuts is growing! If you’re unfamiliar with the local business, be prepared to jump at the chance to try some of these donuts soon.
The gluten-free, vegan donuts are made in a peanut-free, Celiac Safe Kitchen. With an extensive list of delicious flavors to choose from, including Lemon Hempseed, Maple Walnut, Maple Bacon, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Matcha, Cardamom Pistachio, OMG! Chocolate, and even a Jalapeño Cheese donut that rotates at pop-ups. The donuts are made with fair trade organic cocoa, organic non-GMO cane sugar, non-GMO flour mixes, and local maple syrup. The donuts do not contain palm oil (a very environmentally unfriendly, plant-based ingredient that displaces and harms orangutangs and other residents of the forests it is harvested from that is unfortunately in many vegan products) and are baked.
We connected with Karrie Vrabel, the mastermind behind Totally Baked Donuts to learn more about her vegan, gluten-free donuts and the story behind them.
What drew you personally to veganism?
There were many moments as a young child of not understanding why herbivores were hunted. I always loved animals but the first vegetarians that I knew were my first high school boyfriend and Morrissey. Knowing they existed created a path of dedication for me. It was definitely frowned upon in my Wisconsin German family.
I was vegetarian for many years and saw the documentary Peaceable Kingdom at an ARC screening in 2013 and immediately realized I was not doing enough for the animals and went vegan that day. Living in alignment with my values is the best decision I’ve ever made.
What’s the story behind Totally Baked Donuts?
Well, I didn’t start thinking it would be a business. I was at a local coffee shop with another vegan and we were misled that the baked goods we ordered were both gluten-free and vegan so out of frustration I started to make my own. I have Celiac Disease so constantly feeling left out of food socializing isn’t fun. I would bring my donuts to parties and people would ask if it was my new business and I thought maybe. I bought the domain name on Valentine’s Day 2015.
What did you prioritize when creating your gluten-free, vegan donuts and what goes into creating a new flavor?
I prefer to eat organic, non-GMO, and dye-free so I source those ingredients for my donuts. When I add a new flavor I ask my customers for input and make what I personally love like Green Tea Matcha with coconut milk—I drink it every day.
Why do you not use palm oil in your donuts?
I was trained by Rainforest Action Network in 2014 as a Conflict Palm Oil activist. I have led teach-ins on the consequences of Conflict Palm Oil on both human health and the extinction of Orangutans, Sumatran Rhinos, Tigers and Pigmy Elephants in Indonesia. Protected forests and Peat Forests are illegally destroyed, and animals are murdered just for this unnecessary ingredient to be added to junk food. These forests also sequester tons of CO2. Susanna Tol, a researcher with Wetlands, told mongabay.com, “The production of one ton of palm oil results in carbon dioxide emissions of up to 33 tons (9 tons carbon)” — which is roughly ten times that of ordinary diesel.
What’s the best way for folks to get their hands on your donuts?
I am in a distribution transition phase currently but if you join my Donut Club via www.TotallyBakedDonuts.com you will be kept in the loop.
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Karrie will continue to have donut pop-ups but is expanding to sell at coffee shops and grocery stores. If you have location suggestions for her, email her at [email protected].
For more updates, like and follow Totally Baked Donuts on Facebook. Her next pop-up is this Sunday at the ART Crawl out of Burning Brothers Brewing.
Earth Day: Protect Our Species
Written by Abbey Feola
We already know that going vegan helps protect farmed animals. In addition to the tremendous human threats faced by farmed animals, we also know that entire species of wild animals are struggling to survive. The threats to these animals range from climate change to water pollution. However, many of these disparate threats share a common cause: domestic animal agriculture. In industrialized countries, plant-based foods use fewer resources, land, greenhouse gases, and water, and emit fewer harmful chemicals (AJCN).
The theme of the 49th Earth Day is “Protect Our Species” (EARTHDAY). One of the many ways we can support our environment, and animals both farmed and wild, is by decreasing the number of animal products we consume.
GHG Emissions and Climate Change
One of the biggest threats to many animals is climate change, a process in which certain gases create a “blanket” that traps heat around Earth. This change in heat then disrupts everything from weather patterns to ocean currents and directly threatens over 7,000 species (IUCN). The sources of climate change are diverse, and animal agriculture is one major contributor.
Plant-based foods consistently have lower carbon footprints than animal-based foods (AJCN). In the U.K., eating a vegan diet will produce half as much greenhouse gas as eating an omnivorous diet (Springer). Methane is a gas that traps 21 (FAO p82) – 36 (EPA) times as much heat as carbon dioxide. The cattle industry produces 37% of U.S. emissions (CDC). Nitrous oxide is a gas that traps 265 – 298 (GHG p82) times more heat than carbon dioxide and animal agriculture produces 65% of U.S. emissions (CDC xxi).
When we mitigate global warming through decreasing demand, production, and consumption of animal products, we decrease the drastic changes in species’ environments and help them survive.
Habitat Destruction
The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world (MONGABAY) and known for its incredible biodiversity. Many species in the Amazon — billions of individual animals — are losing many (INSECT) of its species (TREE), due to both deforestation and climate change.
Deforestation has been happening in the Amazon for decades (DEFOREST); in 2018, about 978,000 soccer fields’ worth of land was cleared (BRAZIL). Cattle ranching is a major driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon (WORLDBANK), and most cleared Amazon area in Latin America is eventually maintained as pasture (FAO).
A Changing World
Over the past decade, the UN has repeatedly called for the world to decrease our meat consumption in order to combat environmental destruction (GUN). To some extent, we’re listening, with a rising number of plant-based products in our stores (NIELSEN)!
Let’s use this Earth Day to keep listening, and eat to protect animals both farmed and wild.
Meet Our New Board Member – Julie Knopp
CAA welcomes Julie Knopp to our board of directors. (Perhaps you’ve already met her through Wholesome Minnesota, Twin Cities VegFest, or another space!) Read on to learn more about her and how she got involved with CAA and working for the animals.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I am a passionate social justice advocate living in Minneapolis. I currently work as an elementary school teacher in Richfield. I’m part of a Spanish-English dual immersion program that works to help our diverse student body become fully bilingual and biliterate. Before that, I founded a nonprofit called City Stay, which invites Minnesota high school students of all colors and creeds to live with self-identified Minnesota immigrant families. The goal of this two-way experiential learning program is to break down barriers between neighbors of different cultures and increase equity in Minnesota. All of my work has focused on equity, education, and cultural inclusion.
When did your journey to being vegan begin and where has it led you?
I became a vegetarian about 17 years ago after doing a project on the meat industry as a freshman in high school. I was inspired by the idea that I could take a stance against violence and animal suffering three times a day, every day, simply by cutting meat out of my diet.
Then I became vegan about four years ago. I was living with a roommate who had a dog named Misty who I really connected with. Misty was incredibly perceptive, athletic, and smart. It would only take a couple of hours to teach her complex tricks, like retrieving drinks from the fridge or cleaning up her toys. My relationship with her forced me to consider what we might not know about the intellectual and emotional lives of animals and about their capacity to suffer. I knew that so many animals like Misty were living lives of complete misery on factory farms and that going vegan was one way to take a stance against that violence.
As a starting point, I read classic books in the movement, like Animal Liberation and The Sexual Politics of Meat. Later I stumbled upon a CAA “Cookies and Conversation” event online related to intersectionality. I decided to attend because I was interested in learning more about how my interest in social justice might connect with my increased interest in animal advocacy. I was amazed as I learned more about how relevant animal advocacy was to so many other issues I cared about: gender and racial equity, climate change, etc.
Since then, I have been more active in the movement, taking on a range of roles at CAA including Leafleting Coordinator, Wholesome Minnesota Program Coordinator, Twin Cities VegFest Committee Member, and now a board member. I also continue to be motivated by my relationships with companion animals and have volunteered with SecondHand Hounds for several years and have worked for Animal Humane Society.
When you’re not working with CAA, what are you doing?
I enjoy spending time with family and furry friends. I have a 14-year-old cat named Waffle Cone who I’m hopelessly in love with, and I foster other animals when my schedule allows. I also love to cook plant-based foods and travel. My most recent trips were to Japan and Iceland.
As a new board member, what is your vision for the organization?
I am excited to be a part of CAA’s continued growth. My vision is for a bigger and more diverse community of animal advocates in the Twin Cities. As we work towards increased funding and staffing, I believe we will be able to reach more people with our inclusive and welcoming approach to animal advocacy. Another part of my vision for CAA’s future pertains to institutional change. I’ve been a part of launching CAA’s Wholesome Minnesota program, which supports institutions like schools and hospitals in providing more plant-based dining options. I am excited about this new chapter for CAA, which involves a strategic pairing of both consumer-based change and institutional change efforts in working towards a kinder world for animals.
Interested in joining CAA’s board of directors? Our board meetings are open to prospective members. If you are interested in attending a board meeting, email [email protected] to find out when the next board meeting will take place.
Photos from our 21st Annual Banquet
The photos are here! We had such a great time celebrating our 21st anniversary of working for the animals in March. Thank you to all who came to celebrate with us and to Drake’s Organic Spirits for sponsoring the event!
We were able to be in the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion the day before the great melt flooded Harriet Island Park. Together we raised over $10,000 that night, which will support our work to help animals through both institutional and individual action.
Speaking of action and impact, Bridges of Respect is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Volunteer Shannon Kimball presented on the impact the program has had on both students and teachers. An attendee at the banquet, Max, then came up Shannon after the presentation and shared that he had been vegetarian two years ago when he was studying at Century College and heard Shannon present for Bridges of Respect. “That presentation was it for me–I’ve been vegan since, ” said Max.
Many thanks to the individual and business contributions to our silent auction this year, Rae Hermeier and Julie Knopp for sharing their CAA stories, our Banquet Planning Committee and volunteers who made this event possible, as well as Gorkha Palace, and Vegan East for supporting the event and making sure everything was delicious!
Volunteer Shoutout: Meet Theresa Zingery!
Theresa has been an active volunteer with CAA for several years, volunteering at potlucks, Twin Cities Veg Fest, video outreach, the Chili Cook-Off, and more, and has been a member of the CAA Board of Directors since 2017. She believes that education is the key to changing the world. Read on to learn more about Theresa in this week’s Volunteer Shoutout!
What drew you personally to veganism?
My aha moment came when I became a vegetarian. I was in the Peace Corps and was walking to and from my activities past a market where the animals were alive when I went there in the morning and when I walked past on the way home their dead carcasses were hanging up with fleas on them. It brought home that the food that I used to eat which was sanitized for me in a cellophane package from the store was actually from an animal that lived and had feelings. This was supported by readings I did like Diet for a New America which had a huge impact in the new context.
What are three tips you share with folks who would like to go veg?
- I feel that it is important to find what works for you. Some people are not able to completely switch over at once and need to be incremental and some need to do it fully right away (I was that way). But there is no one approach that works.
- Find a support system—go to vegan meetups, etc.
- Educate yourself on how to get the proper nutrition and what products are out there to support you (and restaurants!)
How did you get involved with CAA?
I went to an tea and cookie event with discussions of vegan issues/support. Then I volunteered to do Pay Per view at Cinco de Mayo.
Do you have a favorite CAA event?
I like doing the Virtual Reality events as it can have such a strong impact on those who participate! And all the social events/potlucks!
Outside of volunteering with CAA and serving on our board, how do you spend your time/what are you doing?
I have a very demanding job that keeps me busy as the manager of adult programming for Anoka Hennepin schools. Outside of work I like to participate in the Svaroopa Yoga community and the social justice community at First Unitarian society. I like reading, walking, eating out with my husband and petting my cats!
When did you start practicing laughter yoga and how has it impacted your life?
When I turned 55 I decided to give myself a gift of learning a new skill that I could offer to other people as a benefit. I participated in a Laugter Yoga session and thought it was fun and healing and heard about a training to be a facilitator. That weekend seminar was my gift to myself and since then I only do it a few times a year as a benefit to various non profits to help them with fundraising auctions or just as a service to their members. I enjoying bringing joy to others. This spring I will be doing one of them for my Community Education department and one with our Adults with Disabilities program—outside! Looking forward to the new challenge.
Why Veg? 20+ Reasons.
We asked folks in our community what they marked as an important moment in their journey that helped them connect with their empathy for animals and go veg.
Everyone has a different story, including you, and we hope that their words help motivate you to take the next step in your journey and stick with it!