More and more people are interested in learning about the vegan lifestyle today. If you know someone looking for helpful and easy to understand vegan information you may want to share The Vegetarian Resource Group’s article Veganism in a Nutshell.

The information can be read here: Veganism in a Nutshell

To join The Vegetarian Resource Group and receive Vegetarian Journal, visit:
Join The Vegetarian Resource Group

Hello VRG folks. I wanted to share exciting news that The Vegan Grocery Store opened in mid-March of this year in North Tonawanda, a small city located north of Buffalo and southeast of Niagara Falls. The vegan/plant-based community in WNY is extremely happy that this store has opened. They have a wonderful selection of foods, heath and beauty items, handmade vegan items, and (most important) vegan chocolates! The photo is of one of the owners, Jason, standing in front of the store. This is the store’s website: The Vegan Grocery Store.

Thank you for whatever support you can provide to The Vegan Grocery Store!
Karen Peissinger

VRG’s Parents and Kids Facebook Group is a forum for veggie parents and kids to ask questions and share answers. Recently The Vegetarian Resource Group asked: Are any of you sending your kids to a veggie-friendly camp this summer? If so, where? Here are some suggestions they gave:

-Vegan Camp; vegancamp.org (all vegan in Los Angeles, CA)
-Camp4Real; camp4real.com (all vegan in Charlottesville VA)
-Catskill Animal Sanctuary Camp Kindness; https://Camp Kindness/; (all vegan in Saugerties, NY)
-Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp; http://yeacamp.org/; (all vegan in Charlton, MA in July and Idyllwild, CA in August)
-Girl Scout Camps; The Girl Scout camps are very veg supportive. They provide a vegan and vegetarian option at every meal and they even provide vegan marshmallows for roasting. My daughter found it very easy to navigate last year.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is an activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG tables at different events throughout the USA and also sends literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, etc. Our ability to continue doing this depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Thanks so much for your support. You can become a monthly or quarterly donor online here: Donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group

Photo from The Fancy Radish

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent additions. The entire guide can be found here: VRG Online Veggie Restaurant Guide

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at:
Donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Fermento
358 Kosciuszko St.
Brooklyn, NY 11221
Offers upscale local, organic, and sustainably sourced plant-based cuisine. Located in the heart of Bedstuy, Brooklyn, Fermento is a cafe’-styled restaurant that boasts an impressive menu of breakfast, lunch and small plate dinners as well as a selection of biodynamic and organic wine and beers. Breakfast/lunch items include a variety of toasts, paninis, and a seasonal lasagna; pastries, coffee, teas, smoothies, and juices are also available. Small dinner plates include Crudo, a hummus trio, Lasagna ai and Ortaggi.

Kokomo
611 Gore Ave.
Vancouver, BC V6A 2Z8 Canada
They serve plant based bowls such as Nood Beach (rice noodles with tahini, veggies, and hummus) and Coastal Macro (brown rice with greens, tempeh, veggies, and Thai ginger dressing). Also have Acai bowls, salads, smoothies, vegan soft serve, and more.

Parka Food Co.
424 Queen St. West
Toronto, ON M5V 2A7 Canada
Parka Food Co. serves plant-based fast-food staples in a clean-lined, minimalist space. Customer favorites include the mac-n-cheese, which comes in flavors like truffle mushroom and sundried tomato olive, and the potato burger. Sides include soups, French fries and onion rings. The restaurant also makes its orange, ginger, and grapefruit sodas in-house.

Plantmade
152 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10003
Plantmade, the latest installment by nationally renowned vegan chef Matthew Kenney, is a sleek East Village café serving trendy items like activated charcoal bagels and avocado toast with radish and za’atar. Items like the bagels, coconut yogurt, granola, and cashew cream cheese are all made in-house. Standard coffee drinks like organic espressos and cappuccinos are available; for the more adventurous, there’s kombucha on tap and turmeric lattes. Gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free dishes are clearly marked on the menu. The restaurant maintains a commitment to using organic ingredients in all of its items.

Rawsome Treats
158 Orchard St.
New York, NY 10002
Watt Sriboonruang a Kickboxer from Thailand opened her first shop Enjoy vibrant cakes, pies, tarts, and truffles that are all nut based after they have been soaked for hours. Try the choco mango, TriSome Pie, and Banana Cream Pie. Enjoy the guilt-free deliciousness.

Santana’s Vegan Grill
5046 Academy Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
This is an exclusive drive-thru vegan burger joint. They use “beyond burgers” and fresh lettuce and tomato and buns to give a vegan upgrade to classic fast-food staples. Also offers vegan meatball subs, hot dogs, chicken slider/strips and fresh drinks including a berry and kale smoothie. All meals come with tons of fries and are well priced.

The Fancy Radish
600 H St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
The Fancy Radish brings husband and wife team Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby from the acclaimed Vedge in Philadelphia. Located in the heart of H Street Corridor in DC, The Fancy Radish is both elegant and correspondingly priced. From the Dinner menu, selections include the Stuffed avocado, Ohitashi, Peruvian potatoes, and spicy dan dan noodles. Their Philadelphia favorite, a rutabaga fondue with soft pretzel will meet a capitol crowd. Drinks include unique cocktails including a Peridot Meteor with gin, celery and olive oil. Highly knowledgeable and attentive service and trendy atmosphere. They plan on adding brunch in the future.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has one needs based paid internship ($3,500 stipend) in Baltimore this coming summer for eight weeks.

To apply send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter addressing your need, vegetarian knowledge, past activism, short term and long term goals, and what you hope to learn from the internship.

Send to Att. Internship; vrg@vrg. Indicate if applying for the needs based internship. For more information, see:
http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

An American Society of Nutrition newsletter reported that one provision of the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill gave the Food and Drug Administration 180 days to define milk. Language was taken from the Dairy Pride Act.

See: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/778/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22DAIRY+PRIDE+Act%22%5D%7D&r=1

On Sunday April 29, 2018, Great Sage restaurant in Clarksville, Maryland, will be donating 10% of sales to The Vegetarian Resource Group! Support VRG outreach while socializing and enjoying great vegan food.

Brunch is 10am-3pm with French toast, specialty pancakes, artichoke spinach dip, decadent cinnamon roll, and many other seasonal dishes. Lite fare is 3-5pm. Dinner is 5-9 pm.

Reservations for parties of 5 or more can be made by calling Great Sage at (443) 535-9400.

This is not a VRG gathering, but if you come during brunch, please do stop by and say hi to the VRG volunteer at the front door.

For more information on Great Sage and to view their menu, see Great Sage.

Earth Day is Sunday April 22nd this year. The vegan lifestyle certainly helps our environment. You may want to share The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Save Our Water: The Vegetarian Way brochure in honor of Earth Day.

You can view the brochure here: Save Our Water: The Vegetarian Way

We also have the brochure in Spanish here: Save Our Water (spanish version)

Finally, VRG has a section about environmental issues on The Vegetarian Resource Group website here:
https://www.vrg.org/environment/

Each year The Vegetarian Resource Group holds an essay contest for children. SUBJECT: 2-3 page essay on any aspect of veganism/vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is not eating meat, fish, and birds (for example, chicken or duck). Vegans do not use any animal products. Among the many reasons for being a vegan/vegetarian are beliefs about ethics, culture, health, aesthetics, religion, world peace, economics, world hunger, and the environment.

Entrants should base their paper on interviewing, research, and/or personal opinion. You need not be a vegetarian to enter. All essays become the property of The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Previous winning essays and complete details can be seen here: VRG Essay Contest for Children