Twin Cities Vegan Events

Please sign up at: Volunteer | Compassionate Action for Animals

Join CAA to serve a vegan lunch at Simpson Housing Services! Simpson provides shelter to around seventy unhoused people each night, and partners with community groups to prepare meals for shelter residents. This is a wonderful way to care for our Minnesota community in an animal-friendly, eco-friendly way.

Please sign up at the link above to receive the address and other information to prepare for the event. We will gather at 10:00am and together, we’ll cook lunch in the kitchen, and then serve the meal to residents. Once food service comes to a lull, we will take breaks in small shifts to join the residents for lunch. Afterwards, we’ll tidy up, and everything should be finished by 1:00pm.

CAA provides a meal for Simpson guests every month. Watch this space for another opportunity to participate!

Other Notes:

• Please dress comfortably, with closed-toe shoes.
• We expect to serve about 30 residents.
• Please keep in mind that this is a community service event. While we may explain more about CAA’s work or veganism if residents ask, it is not an outreach event.
• If you have any questions, please email Nicola at nicola.philpott@exploreveg.org.

Join us in helping improve food access in the Twin Cities area by dropping off food to donate to a 100% vegan, 100% free food shelf. While there, enjoy some delicious food and get to know other like-minded community members! The Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) office will be open from 3:00pm to 4:30pm at 34 13th Ave NE, Suite 108, Minneapolis MN 55413. For directions on our office, see here.

***What to Bring***
Please bring a donation of one or more of the vegan food items listed below. Please be sure that they are new items that are within their expiration or “best buy” date, and that they are entirely vegan (e.g., no cheese in pasta sauces). These will then go to a local plant-based food shelf to improve food access in Minneapolis.

Example foods include:
-Pasta and pasta sauce
-Canned or dried fruit
-Canned or dried beans
-Cooking oils
-Flours
-Nuts or nut butters
-Seeds or trail mix
-Canned vegetables
-Shelf-stable plant milk
-Teas
-Rice & other grains

***Community Building***
Meet others who care about animals, veganism, and food access during the donation drop off period. There will also be Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) board and/or staff members present, if you’re curious about other CAA programs. We’ll have some simple food and snacks on offer as a thank you for your food donation. You can enjoy them while you have an opportunity to chat with others and check out our resources.

***Vegan Resources***
While there, check out our collection of books and recipes that can help you learn more about the how's and why's of vegan eating, regardless of where you are in your journey.

***CAA’s Mission***
CAA’s mission is to encourage people to embrace their empathy for animals and move towards a plant-based lifestyle, to create a Minnesota where all beings, human and non-human, can thrive.
Your participation -- as an event attendee, volunteer and/or donor -- is critical to helping to advance the well-being of all in Minnesota. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you at this event and others!

Join us at Fiesta Latina! This event, presented by CLUES and Sunrise Banks, will be on East 7th Street in Saint Paul! We’re expecting over 7,000 visitors to join us for a wonderful day of connection and celebration of Latino heritage and culture. We are looking for a volunteer to run outreach games to help attendees learn about the impact of their food choices — you can sign up to volunteer on our website at https://caa.mn/event/outreach-with-caa-fiesta-latina/
Studies have show this to be one of the most effective ways to make an impact for animals. Join us to have fun while doing good!

##### What is Fiesta Latina?

At Fiesta Latina, you will experience Live performers from Colombia Live, Los Alegres Bailadores, and others. There will also be a backpack and school supplies distribution. Additionally, there is a fantastic Hispanic Heritage Month exhibition at CLUES Art Gallery. This festival will take place along 3 major streets including the block where CLUES is located, Margaret Street, and East 7th Street from Hope to Arcade. The event is scheduled for Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It’s a free, family-friendly event where neighbors can experience the streets as vehicle-free public spaces.

##### Volunteering

The volunteer shift is four hours long and two shifts are available. Volunteers will engage attendees in discussing how to make our diets more eco-friendly by moving towards plant-based eating. You will also invite interested people to pledge to move towards more plant-based eating.
At the table, we’ll have a spin wheel game where attendees guess an answer to a question that helps them learn about the higher environmental harm of animal agriculture.
Sample spin wheel questions include:

• A huge amount of land is deforested in the US to grow soy. According to the USDA, what percentage of soy is fed to farmed animals?
• How many pounds of manure are produced per pound of beef?
• How much more land is required to produce a pound of chicken flesh vs a pound of beans?

Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you have the answers!
In addition, volunteers can help with assessing our impact by recording comments from attendees during the event. We’ll provide a pen and notebook for doing so.

##### Who can volunteer?

If you’re passionate about sustainability, or about helping people move towards plant-based eating, this event is for you. We’ll support you in how to do effective outreach. All are welcome to volunteer and no experience is required.

##### Support for Volunteers

We’ll reach out to you prior to the event to confirm your participation. At that time we’ll introduce you to the staff leading the event. You’ll get their cell phone number in case anything comes up on the day-of the outreach.
At the event, we’ll make sure you get a chance to know the staff and other volunteers participating in outreach. Then we’ll help you know what to say to attendees and give you the spin wheel Q&A sheet. We’ll also have a plant-based snack and a drink for you to enjoy.

##### Get involved at other Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) events!

Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) hosts many events throughout the year, including Twin Cities Veg Fest, the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge, serving free vegan lunches to those in need, Vegan Recipe Club, cooking classes, potlucks, outreach events, and so much more!
If you want to know about other opportunities to get involved with CAA, we’ve got so many ways to connect with the community, enjoy vegan food, and make a difference. Visit our volunteer page to see all upcoming opportunities!

Twin Cities Veg Fest is almost here!

If you signed up to volunteer at the festival, please plan to attend either this Zoom orientation on Monday, September 15 (join the meeting here), or the in-person session at Harriet Island Regional Park in Saint Paul on Tuesday, September 16.

Not signed up yet? Sign up to volunteer here!

## What the meeting will accomplish

We will provide an overview of:

• Key locations at the festival, including where to check in
• Code of conduct and expectations
• Emergency plan
• Directions and day-of logistics

There will also be:

• A chance to meet fellow volunteers and CAA staff
• and a Q&A session

We will record the session for those unable to attend live.

Questions? Reach out to volunteer@tcvegfest.com.

We can’t wait to see you!

Join the Zoom meeting here.

(Details, if needed: Meeting ID: 822 2212 2754; One tap mobile +13092053325,,82222122754# US OR +13126266799,,82222122754# US (Chicago); further join instructions here.