Getting your Pod Involved Around the Community

With the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle as your foundation, consider taking on one of these projects or activities to create a positive, lasting impact in your community.

A focus on making a difference in the community can unite members around the endeavor and attract new people to the movement.

• Select a local restaurant with plant-based options. Call in advance and ask for a WFPB meal for your group. Eat out at that restaurant, which might encourage them to offer healthier plant-based meals. Choose that same or another restaurant and repeat.

• Participate in our Restaurant Campaign to increase the number of plant-based, oil free food options available in your town. Consider creating a committee that is responsible for reaching out to restaurants.

• Start a gardening project as a group at a local community garden.

• Volunteer at a local vegan animal sanctuary.

• Open a whole food, plant-based food bank for low-income people who want to eat a plant-based diet.

• Show various plant-based documentaries at senior centers and then have a discussion group (see if a dietitian supporting plant-based eating, Plant-Based Nutrition Course Graduate, or Food for Life Instructor would help facilitate the discussion).

• Work through the public school system to get them to offer one WFPB meal option on the school menu (and ideally, have it be included in the reduced-cost/free menu options).

• Work with local farmers to provide a farmers’ market in low-income neighborhoods, and then help to publicize and create traffic so that the market will continue to be offered.

• Organize a local health fair or veg fest.

• Offer to teach cooking classes to groups with whom Pod members already have a relationship, such as a local church, school, cancer support groups, YMCA, etc.

• Offer to facilitate Jumpstarts in your local church or at your work, and then have your Pod provide additional cooking and shopping training. Learn more here.

• Don’t forget to reach out to local media to let them know about any of your Pod’s community events so they can take pictures/video and publish a story!