The Baltimore Vegan Living Program (VLP)

(The content below was pulled from Open the Cages Alliance program’s webpage, here.)

What is the Program About?

The Vegan Living Program (VLP) is a series of educational events that cover the hows and whys of vegan living, including the ethical and environmental implications of vegan lifestyles, nutrition, cooking, meal planning, and living vegan in a not-yet-vegan world.

Each spring, we host Vegan Pledges who pledge to live vegan for the 6-week program, with the help of volunteer Vegan Coaches. Vegan Pledges receive a binder full of resources and recipes, and a goody bag of free vegan stuff to make the transition easier and more fun! Open the Cages Alliance holds a VLP in Baltimore, and a sister program in Long Island, New York. The 2017 Baltimore Vegan Pledge will take place from April 15th – May 20th, 2017. The VLP educational sessions in Baltimore are free and open to the public.

Ways to Get Involved:

Not yet vegan? | Be a Vegan Pledge!

Are you vegan? | Be a Vegan Coach!
(First-time Coaches, please note that your presence is requested at an Orientation!)

Vegan-curious, but not ready to pledge? | Come to the public educational sessions! (Only Pledges & Coaches must pre-register.)

“I recommend this excellent program to anyone who is interested in learning more about the vegan perspective. The presentations are informative and practical. Myths are dispelled here. Yes, it is possible to get enough protein on a vegan diet, and vegan food can be delicious! More importantly, people who care about the impact they have on their fellow beings, and on the environment, come together to explore the possibilities for change.” -Pamela Kenley-Meschino, Vegan Living Program participant

Volunteer!

We could use a hand! Can you post flyers at your community center, school, or place of worship? Please contact info@openthecages.org and we can send you literature (please let us know exactly where you can post, so we don’t duplicate). We will also need volunteers at each of the VLP sessions, especially at the first session on Saturday April 15th, 2017. Can you help us out? Please email info@openthecages.org.

The 2017 Baltimore VLP Schedule:

The Vegan Living Program sessions are 100% required attendance for Vegan Pledges and Coaches. The educational sessions are open to everyone, but to be a Pledge or Coach you must attend all six sessions!

The VLP educational sessions will be held on six consecutive Saturdays at Thrive Baltimore, 8 E. Lafayette Ave, Baltimore, MD 21202. On May 6th, half the participants will visit Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, 15200 Mt. Nebo Road, Poolesville, MD 20837 (a little over an hour away from Baltimore) and the other half will view a film; on May 13th, we will switch.

Saturday April 15

12:00-3:00pm @ ThriveBaltimore

Coach/Pledge Intros followed by a Vegan Cooking Demonstration by Nneka X. Shoulds of Nek the Nutritionist, OTCA Co-Director Brenda Sanders, and Kyle Harvey of PEP Foods, Presenters will demonstrate some delicious vegan breakfast ideas, and prepare vegan versions of traditional cheesy favorites! Click here to RSVP on Facebook (optional).