What we’re about
Want to meet others? Enjoy great food? Take action for animals? Or just learn more? Join us!
We at Compassionate Action for Animals host restaurant dine-outs, cooking classes, recipe clubs, documentary screenings, video outreach, and more throughout Minnesota.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Serve Vegan Lunch at Simpson Housing, Sunday July 13thZion Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN
Please sign up at: Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities: Sign Up « 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.
- Walk with CAA in the Grande Day ParadeNeeds location
On Sunday, July 20, you are invited to be a part of the Grande Day Parade on Mainstreet in Hopkins!
We will meet at 12pm at the beginning of the parade route at 5th Avenue and Mainstreet. The parade will begin at 1pm and will finish at 17th Avenue and Mainstreet. The parade features marching bands, visiting royalty from around the state, local businesses and clubs, and local officials.
Afterward, we’ll go out for food to support the vegan items on the menu at Pub 819.#### What kind of volunteer help do you need?
Volunteers walk with the CAA banner and pig costume. Other volunteers were leafleting with the lead line “I’m with the pig!”
We need folks to come and:- wear the pig costume
- hold the banner to draw attention to us in the parade
- Pass out information about vegan eating and Twin Cities Veg Fest. (Leafleting is an excellent way to advocate for animals.)
We reach many people in a short time and have inspiring conversations along the way. It’s also a great way to get to know other volunteers who are passionate about ending animal suffering.
#### How do I sign up?
Sign up at the bottom of the page below. We’ll contact you and share phone numbers to be sure it’s easy to reach each other on the day.
All are welcome to volunteer and no experience is required. If you’re passionate about animal rights and/or welfare, or about helping people move towards plant-based eating, this event is for you. We’ll support you in how to do effective outreach.#### Support for Volunteers
We’ll reach out to you a few days 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 day-of.
At the event, we’ll make sure you get a chance to know the staff and other volunteers participating in outreach.#### Will I hear from you after volunteering at the event?
Yes! The staff leading the event will reach out to thank you and tell you about the event’s impact. We want you to know about the difference you made as a result of volunteering with us.
#### 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, Vegan Recipe Club, cooking classes, potlucks, outreach events, and so much more! If you can’t make this event, or just 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 opportunities
- Demand Target's Accountability: Deliver 150,000 Signatures For AnimalsNeeds location
It's time for one of America's largest retailers to stop breaking their promises.
We're gathering to attempt to deliver over 150,000 petition signatures directly to Target, and to bring attention to the ongoing abuse of animals in Target's supply chains.Event Details:
-Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025
-Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, followed by a free lunch at Francis Burger Joint
-Location: Outside of Target Headquarters, 1000 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403, Minneapolis.
-What to Expect: Boxes of 150,000 petition signatures; Powerful speeches; Banner display; Visual display of factory farming conditions; Giveaways to passerby.
-What to Bring: Yourself. Wear comfortable shoes. Bring a sign if you want to.Free Lunch: All protest attendees are invited to the E Lake St Francis Burger Joint for complimentary lunch after the event! Francis offers entirely vegan burgers, sandwiches, milkshakes, and salads. We’ll carpool and/or co-bike from the Target Headquarters.
The Reality Behind Target’s Shelves:
Mother pigs across the US spend their four-month pregnancies trapped in gestation crates so small they can't even turn around. They're forced to lie in their own waste while pregnant and nursing.
Laying hens are crammed into battery cages, each with less space than a sheet of paper - unable to spread their wings or engage in any natural behaviors.
In 2016, Target pledged to cut gestation crates and battery cages out of their supply chain, but has failed to do so. 70% of the American public supports an end to these practices -- but Target isn't listening.
The suffering doesn't end at crates and cages. The industrial animal agriculture system that Target supports involves:- Selective breeding to create animals so misshapen they can barely walk, or have reproductive systems so diseased that they menstruate daily;
- Animals, particularly chickens and turkeys, crammed into warehouses with tens of thousands of other animals;
- Over a million chickens boiled alive yearly, when stunning fails;
- Countless other forms of systematic cruelty.
In every state where they operate, Target continues to profit from this abuse and has refused to take any meaningful action.In 2016, Target promised to take a small step for animals, and remove gestation crates and battery cages from their supply chain – but after years of failing to report progress, they’ve backed out, and refused to take any action to support animal welfare.
Why Your Presence Matters:
Corporate giants like Target respond to public pressure. Your attendance and your voice send a powerful message to demand Target stop profiting from animal cruelty. Bring a sign, a friend, or just yourself; your presence matters.
Here’s what else you can do: *Sign the petition at targetcruelty.com. *Call Target’s Customer Service Line at +1-800-440-0680 and submit a complaint about Target’s failure to adhere to their promises. *Bring up the issue with your friends and family. *Boycott these products in your personal grocery purchases. *Find neighborhood stores that support animals and communities – not unethical corporations like Target!
This event is co-hosted by Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States) and Compassionate Action for Animals. All are welcome. Together, we can force Target to stop breaking promises and start keeping them. Animals are counting on us - and we won't back down until Target follows through on their promise and increases their commitments to animal welfare.
Share this event and invite your friends who care about animals. The more people who show up, the stronger our message becomes!
- Vegan Food Drop: Feed Our Neighbors, Build CommunityCAA Community Office, Minneapolis, MN
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!
