photo from Christopher Place Employment Academy Catholic Charities of Baltimore

by Chaltu Watkins, VRG Intern

Sitting in on a class at Christopher Place in Baltimore, Maryland was a very eye-opening experience. The program is designed to support men who have experienced homelessness and struggled with addiction.

Instructor Crystal, intern Ellie, and I set up the tables before the class began, and when the men came in they were eager to get started. They could not wait to see what recipe was on the agenda. They talked a bit about last week’s class and how they really enjoyed the smoothie they made and the conversations they had. They were asking Crystal over and over again if she would leave the recipe for them and if they could have any ingredients that were left over because they wanted to try and cook on their own.

During the cooking demonstration, the men were very engaged and genuinely grateful for the opportunity to learn more about healthy eating. While it was clear that none of them were vegan, they were open-minded and willing to try the collard greens and beets that Crystal prepared. Some even came back for seconds and thirds. Throughout the class, Crystal emphasized the importance of men’s health, which was especially relevant in this male-centered facility. I was surprised by how much I learned during this session, more than I’ve learned in some of my school courses when it comes to health issues and how to better equip yourself to try and prevent these issues from occurring.

As I skimmed the classroom, I noticed that Christopher Place offers a variety of courses, including religious studies and sessions focused on both soft and hard skills. Since the program is designed to support men who have experienced homelessness and struggled with addiction, having classes like the one Crystal taught is valuable. These courses equip them with tools to help them reintegrate into society.

Chaltu Watkins sat in on this class while a VRG intern. For information about VRG internships, see www.vrg.org/student/index.php

More information about Crystal Forman, MPH, MHA, can be found at www.holistic-wellnessandhealth.com/about/

The company Believer Meats said they received a Food and Drug Administration “No Questions” letter, which they said means the FDA has concluded the evaluation of their product. Also, Believer has completed construction of their North Carolina Facility, and are working with USDA for final approvals. On their website, Believer states they source animal cells only once, place them in a controlled environment, provide the cells with nutrients, and prepare them to match the flavor of conventionally-farmed meat.

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Share this handy poster with family and friends. You can also print it out and post it on your refrigerator. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/VeganDietsinaNutshellPoster.pdf

Maryland Vegan Restaurant Month runs August 1^st through 31^st, 2025. Be sure to try out all the restaurants participating this month including Harmony Bakery, Johnny Rads, Land of Kush, Oleum, and Roland Park Bagels in Baltimore City, St. Veg and Rasa in Rockville, Cisu Vegan in Hanover, plus many other establishments.

For more information, see: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

Zaire said: I’ve been veggie for two years, and while there have been ups and downs along the way, it’s been one of the most rewarding lifestyle shifts I’ve made. The Vegetarian Resource Group has been a great support in my journey, and I appreciate the work they do to encourage young people like me to stick with it. I love recreating meals I used to eat in plant-based versions, and as a Black vegetarian, I think it’s important to share this part of myself. In our community, vegetarianism isn’t always common, and I want to help break the stigma that it’s boring or something not obtainable. It can be cool, fulfilling, and, if done right, really affordable too. See Video: 

https://youtube.com/shorts/c3sk_hFNZ0o?si=HgpWFKOnpcOI17Ew

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group video contest is July 15, 2026. See www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

For information about VRG’s $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors who have promoted veganism, see www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm The next deadline is February 20, 2026.

To support VRG’s outreach to young people, join at www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

In January 2025, The Vegetarian Resource Group received an email from a reader about insect-derived shellac on coffee beans:

“I have read some of your articles before and it inspired me to look into whether my own favorite lifelong coffee brand used shellac/lac resin on their beans. I emailed the company and they said they would look into it, and this was their response:

‘Since shellac resin is not one of the top nine allergens required for labeling, we do not analyze for the presence of shellac resin. This means that cross contact is currently possible for all of our products throughout the complex chain of supply.’”

In June 2025 we contacted J.M. Smucker Co., maker of Folger’s coffee, and asked one simple question about their coffee via their website:

“Do any of your suppliers coat their coffee beans with shellac?”

A few days later we received their reply:

“…Our coffee beans are sourced from reputable suppliers in more than 20 countries around the world. From there, Folgers coffee beans are roasted, ground and packaged at facilities in the United States…shellac is not added to our product.”

However, this response did not directly answer the question so we called the company. We acknowledged that we had received their email reply but that it did not directly answer our question. Then we restated it and were told that our question would be researched further.

The VRG called the Smucker Co. again. This time, the customer service rep put us on a long hold to investigate. Upon returning, she confirmed that their coffee bean suppliers do not coat their beans with insect-derived shellac.

Based on this information from J.M. Smucker Co., it appears NO Folger’s brand coffee contains insect-derived shellac.

For tips about making productive company inquiries, refer to our previous article.

For other ingredient information, see https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Recent topics brought up include:

– What’s one plant-based meal your kids actually get excited about? Let’s share some tried-and-true favorites to inspire each other, bonus points if it’s quick and picky-eater approved! Drop your go-to recipes or meal ideas below! My family’s is homemade mini-pizzas on flour or corn tortillas! We let the kids add their favorite toppings (vegan cheese, banana peppers, “meat” crumbles, olive oil, garlic, etc.) Quick, fun and easy!

– Food Safety Concerns During Pregnancy

– What’s on your summer agenda? We’ve been trying to stick to family-friendly (and FREE!) activities around town. I love slipping in a bit of activism or learning when I can, like doing a beach walk where we collect litter and seashells, or going on neighborhood scavenger hunts to find nature treasures we can turn into crafts. Would love to hear your ideas to keep kiddos engaged and this summer

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Angelica said: I’m interested in veganism because of how it affects my entire life. My veganism didn’t just stop at deciding not to eat animal products; it catapulted my love for the earth and efficient living. Before I became vegan, I had no interest in what was around me. However, because I made this choice, I never want to stop giving back what the earth has been giving me.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/-wjy7DwKabc

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group video contest is July 15, 2026. See www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

For information about VRG’s $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors who have promoted veganism, see www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm  The next deadline is February 20, 2026.

To support VRG’s outreach to young people, join at www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate