Meet the Makers: VegLife Des Moines
We are so excited to host our friends VegLife Des Moines for our December Meet the Makers event!
We first met the VegLife team in late 2017 when we had the pleasure of being a part of their official launch party. We’ve loved getting to know the VegLife community and feel honored to work with such a great group of humans through their VegLife ventures and beyond.
Let's start by introducing VegLife Des Moines. Tell us what year you started and 3 things you focus on as a community:
VegLife Des Moines became a 501(c)3 in the fall of 2017. We focus on educating folks about how their choices impact animals, the environment and their health. We do that through events, like our Transition to Vegan Class and Des Moines VeganFest. We also host events meant to inspire people to try vegan, such as monthly vegan potlucks and our annual Vegan Restaurant Tour. In addition, we create a space for like minded folks at our bimonthly VegOut events and at our event Peace Not Pork.
Where did the idea for VegLife Des Moines come from?
We started as a small group of vegans from the First Unitarian Church and we wanted to offer a monthly potluck and speaker/film series. As part of this series, we hosted the 2017 Des Moines VeganFest and were blown away at how many people attended (750!!). We realized there was a huge demand for vegan focused events and education, which led us to create the non-profit VegLife Des Moines. As we've matured our focus has changed and we continue to meet the needs of the community.
What are some common challenges a Vegan in Des Moines may face?
We hear from folks a lot that one of the biggest challenges is not having support from family members, friends or coworkers. Food is a huge part of our every day life, and sharing it with others is big in our culture. When we don't have people around us that support our decisions, it can be very challenging, for some, to stick with veganism.
In addition, we've heard that cooking isn't a skill everyone has and as a vegan, you may eat at home more often and not be aware of vegan convenience foods. What do you do with a pile of vegetables to turn it into a tantalizing dish? Learning how to prepare vegan food that fits your tastes is key to sticking with it. Dishes that are simple, cheap and yummy are the best and it does take some poking around cookbooks or the internet to find recipes that you like.
What are the top 3 pieces of advice you would give someone who is curious about pursuing a VegLife?
You've got this! Think about the reasons you want to have a VegLife, whether that's for your health, the environment or the animals. Keeping in mind the reason WHY is important as you move forward. When tempted by something that doesn't match your WHY, think about how making a commitment to your reason is important to you and your happiness.
Find a community of people that support you. It's easier to do it with the help from others. These can be online communities or in person. There is a lot to learn and having others to help you navigate can help you circumvent some of the challenges. There's a great Facebook Group in Des Moines that is super helpful and a great place to start: Des Moines Area Vegan Friends!
Figure out how to make your favorite dishes vegan! Use Google to search for your favorite recipe but add the word "vegan" to the search. See what fun new ways you can try your old standbys. And don't let one failure in the kitchen stop you! It takes time to learn to cook in a new way so having patience for yourself is key.
What are some of the resources and services you offer to the Vegan community in Des Moines?
We have a website with great resources and a restaurant guide for Des Moines - so you can find all the vegan friendly spots. We offer a monthly vegan potluck on the first Thursday of the month where people can try new dishes and meet folks. We also offer a class called Transition to Vegan quarterly where we help people dig a bit deeper into how they can go vegan. We also host social events like Peace Not Pork, VegOut's and Des Moines VeganFest.
You also put on a little (not so little anymore) festival each year - can you tell us a little bit about that?
Des Moines VeganFest has grown since our humble beginnings in 2017, from an event of 750 to over 2,500 people in 2019. We are thrilled to see it grow each year and are moving the event to the Summer in 2020. The event showcases national and local speakers on topics related to veganism, including cooking demos. There are also over 50 vendors showcasing vegan food and wares - a great chance to check out what's up in the vegan scene.
Can you tell us a little bit about what people can expect at the upcoming Meet the Makers event?
We are so excited to collaborate with The Side Garage for the Meet the Makers event! We will, of course, have rad VegLife designs that you can print on tee's and totes, but you can also bring your own items to print on for an eco friendly approach! We are also excited to have our vegan cookie exchange happen during the event. Everyone can participate, but you don't have to! Bring two dozen homemade vegan cookies to share and you'll go home with 2 dozen of a variety of other cookies. A great way to try out new yummy treats. We will also have snacks and hot cocoa for folks to enjoy.
