Northwest VEG

Our Mission
We educate and encourage people to make plant-based choices for a healthy, sustainable, and compassionate world.

More and more people are choosing plant-based foods for a variety of reasons. Going veg is not about deprivation, it's about celebration. It's a very powerful choice to respect your body, the earth and other beings. Every plant-based meal is a vote for compassion, for healthy, nutritious food, for clean air and water, biodiverse habitats and sustainable farming practices. There are lots of reasons to choose to eat veg! Everybody has a different one!

Northwest VEG is a non-profit 501(c)(3) group in the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA area. Founded in 2003, we are dedicated to bringing awareness to the power of a veg lifestyle and helping support people in their transition toward making healthier, more sustainable & compassionate food choices. We welcome everyone, and encourage you to explore veg issues at your own pace. Our purpose is to:

Build, support & maintain community in a fun environment
Build, connect & network in the larger community
Provide education & outreach
Be a responsible, effective, transparent organization
Provide expertise & serve as a resource to the community on veg issues
Create positive change & make the world a better place

Northwest VEG strives to create a healthier, more sustainable, compassionate world by encouraging the public to make more plant-based food choices. We believe that healthier individuals have more fulfilling lives and contribute to the community in lasting ways. Our work is predominantly educational, and we offer a variety of classes, presentations and events throughout the year that are always affordable and often free.

Monthly Potlucks and Educational Presentations
Each month Northwest VEG hosts a Portland and Vancouver potluck, followed by an educational presentation or cooking demonstration. Our potlucks and events explore delicious plant-based food and enable you to meet other vegans and vegetarians. If our potlucks happen to be your only vegan meal of the month, you'll be sure to go home well fed!

Educational Programs
Northwest VEG offers two programs, each bi-annually:
Veg 101 is a 6-week series on vegetarianism, featuring both a lecture and a cooking class (with samples) each week. The lectures provide an excellent grounding in topics such as health, nutrition, factory farming, environmental impact, and related subjects.

Master Vegetarian Program provides in-depth information on following a plant-based diet. It is aimed at people who want to find out how our food choices affect our health, the environment, and our relationship with animals. The program is also service-oriented, and attendees will be expected to contribute at least 16 volunteer hours to a nonprofit organization that concerns itself with one or more of the issues discussed in the course.

Community Events
VegFest - our largest event of the year - celebrates and promotes sustainable, compassionate, and healthy food choices and lifestyles. Held at the Oregon Convention Center, VegFest is a low-cost, educational, fun event that welcomes everyone. VegFest connects organizations, businesses and educators with the local public (and each other). Our 7th annual event in September 2011 was enjoyed by over 6,700 vegans, vegetarians, and veg-curious attendees.

Race for the Animals - a 5K/10K run/hike - generates awareness to a plant-based lifestyle and raises money for Northwest VEG's education and outreach campaigns. Our 2nd annual event in June 2011 had over 250 participants.

Education of Health Professionals
Northwest VEG co-sponsors and coordinates the annual Enhancing Health with Plant-Based Nutrition professional health conference. The conference presents the latest information on plant-based diets with respect to clinical nutrition, the effects of diet on chronic disease prevention and control, and on designing an optimum plant-based diet. The conference offers continuing education credits for many medical professionals. The 2nd annual conference in September 2011 had 150 attendees.

Social Events
Northwest VEG coordinates an annual Compassionate Thanksgiving Vegan Potluck, an annual 4th of July Potluck Celebration, as well as monthly potlucks and dineouts. To view upcoming events, check out our online calendar.

Community Outreach
Northwest VEG has an information booth at over 35 events each year in the Portland area. We cast the widest net possible to reach as many people as we can. At each event, we offer free Vegetarian Starter Kits, a sampler of healthy veg recipes, health information on hot button topics and schedules of our upcoming educational and social events, as well as our restaurant dining guide.

Assistance to Consumers
Northwest VEG creates and distributes thousands of copies of our Portland-area "Restaurant Dining Guide" each year. The guide's purpose is to help direct people to restaurants with plant-based options. We also organize and maintain an online version of restaurants that are vegan, vegetarian or offer excellent veggie options.

Publications
Northwest VEG creates The Thymes, a monthly e-newsletter and quarterly print newsletter. The newsletter includes information on our upcoming events, educational articles, and a plant-based recipe. The print edition is distributed to over 60 local businesses, libraries, and other community locations.

Information Resource
Northwest VEG provides the community with information, contacts, and guest presenters. If you've got a plant-based question, or you're looking for a presenter, please contact us for assistance: info@nwveg.org or (503) 746-8344.

Northwest VEG needs more than 300 volunteers to make our 8th Annual Portland VegFest happen! We couldn't do it without you! Did you know that volunteering for just one 3-hour shift earns you free admission to BOTH daysof VegFest?!Here are some ways you can be involved:

• We need volunteers on Saturday and Sunday September 22/23 to help with setup, assist during the chef demos, work recycling stations, clean up, help in the children's area or dress up in a fruit/veggie costme. There is something for everyone!
• Post a VegFest yard sign in your front yard (we'll supply the sign)
• Distribute VegFest posters and postcards to businesses/coffee shops/libraries etc. in your neighborhood (early September)
• Assist with set-up at the Convention Center on Friday, Sept. 21

All volunteers get into VegFest free (both days!), and your help is essential in making this a wonderful event! Please let us know the roles you're able to assist with and the day/time you prefer at VegFest. Please email Chelsea Davis, Northwest VEG's Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, with your preferences and contact info: volunteer@nwveg.org.