Are you vegan-curious?
Want to be vegan but need a boost?
Or just want to learn more?

Check out the Vegan Living Program, an educational program presented by Open the Cages Alliance for those interested in vegan lifestyles!

Vegan Living Program - Five “Core” Educational Sessions

(Required of Coaches and Pledges; all except May 20th open to the public, too!)

Sunday, April 15th, 3:00-5:00pm - The Basics of Vegan Living with Michael A. Weber, Program Director of Farm Animal Rights Movement, and Vegan Ingredients presentation with local activist, Jamie Cohen

Sunday, April 22nd, 3:00-5:00pm - Vegan Nutrition Basics with Joseph Gonzales, R.D., staff dietitian for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Sunday, April 29th, 3:00-5:00pm - Vegan Health and Fitness with “The Boot Camp Girl” Stephanie Dignan, and Javier de la Camara of Gorilla Fit, plus “Being Green” by Living Vegan with Demosthenes Maratos, Communications Director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College

Sunday, May 6th, 1:00-3:00pm - Field trip to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD

(No session on May 13th - Mothers’ Day!)

Sunday May 20th, 3:00-5:00pm - Celebration for Pledges and Coaches!

All sessions held at Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore, MD 21201 except our field trip to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, which will be the fourth session.

We also have a number of “elective” classes and roundtable discussions on topics such as raising vegan kids, and raw food “cooking.”  Info coming soon!

Ways to Participate

1) Just show up!  All sessions except for the May 20th Pledge celebration are open to the public!

2) Be a Vegan Pledge!  Pledge to be vegan for the duration of the program (April 15th - May 20th, 2012). You’ll be paired with a one-on-one Vegan Coach to provide you with friendly support throughout the Program.  You’ll receive a binder full of useful information and recipes, and a goody bag of samples and other free stuff.  Attendance at the 5 “core” VLP sessions (listed above) is required of Vegan Pledges.  The fifth session on May 20th is a catered meal for Pledges who complete the program, where we’ll celebrate and present certificates of completion to Pledges.  No registration fee.  There is a $0-5 suggested donation per session; no one turned away for lack of funds!  Space is limited; sign up today!

3) Be a Vegan Coach! Change is tough...Please consider being a Vegan Coach for an aspiring vegan!

On Sunday, March 11th, 3:00-5:00pm, there will be a  Vegan Coach Interest Meeting in Baltimore, venue TBD.  We will hold an additional pre-Pledge meeting for Vegan Coaches in late March or early April, for anyone who signs up after March 11th. Click here for more information and to sign up to be a Vegan Coach!

4) Volunteer!  We will need help with various Vegan Living Program tasks, especially transportation of supplies.  Email info@openthecages.org if you’re interested in volunteering!

5) Sponsor/donate to VLP!  If your company is interested in donating vegan food, product samples, or other vegan goody bag items to the Vegan Living Program, please contact info@openthecages.org.  We are putting together 25 goody bags for Vegan Pledges, and we will use donations of food at the educational sessions and the May 20th celebratory meal!  If you would like to financially support the Vegan Living Program, please donate to Open the Cages Alliance. Thank you!