Fundraising events for animals that serve animals
Do you live in district 1? There is an agenda meeting Tues. 9/29 at 7pm at the City Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704This is one of the last items on the agenda, it probably won't be up until after 8:30.Isabella La Rocca is an amazing advocate for the animals. She called me and shared that Berkeley Animal Care Shelter is having an event to raise money for the animals. She expressed her dismay at the irony that they are serving other animals as food at the event to raise funds for companion animals. She has been heard to say that maybe they will make it vegetarian. As many of you already know, the egg and dairy industry is almost the most cruel form of food we can indulge in. Please keep your emails and letters positive, negativity will shut this down very quickly. We really want to have them connect to us on a compassionate and loving stance and feel this is the way to capture their attention, so that we are not met with resistance. To learn more: Read here.If everyone could write a letter by Friday and discuss this with Linda Maio, Council member, Vice Mayor of the City of Berkeley, write a letter from your heart. I think this letter could take a million forms. It could discuss animal cruelty, hypocrisy, it could share your stories. Let her know what you think. Time is running out. Finish the letter withPlease vote yes on the item on the September 29 City Council Meeting agenda to create an Animal Friendly Menu Policy for the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter at official sponsored events.If you have a business or live in district one - make sure to let her know.
Our letter to council member Linda Maio:
Hello Linda Maio,I am the owner, CEO, of Sanctuary Bistro, a vegan, family-run, restaurant in the new up and coming Gilman District. We have just passed our 1st year mile marker and have had an amazing and successful year.I wanted to write you about an upcoming agenda item that will be presented on September 29 in regards to serving meals that are raising funds to support the animals through serving foods that harm other animals.This is not an email to convert you or anyone else into becoming vegan. This is to discuss and share the real hypocrisy in serving animals at an event to help animals. I have been where you are. I was raised in Massachusetts and my husband and co-owner of Sanctuary Bistro is from Kansas. We have grown up in very meat-centric homes. We have meat-centric families and our traditions were centered around meat centeric foods. Eight years ago, my husband and I became vegan, I, through a journey since my teens, and he over-night. We started a vegan catering company in the Bay area making a few pies and our sales increased, doubled, tripled and quadrupled until we were catering weddings for up to 200 people, most often where only the bride and / or groom have been vegan. We have catered many non-profit events including animal shelters around the bay over the years, again where often no one was vegan.The community is looking for more alternatives. We became successful enough to open our restaurant, in your district. 80% or more of our clientele are not vegan but have other health related needs. Many have turned to eating more plant-based for their own personal health; they are scared because they have found out that they have heart disease, are pre-diabetic, gut issues, cancers and more. Others, come because they realize the impact that eating more plants can have on the environment. Less pollution is created, less trees cut down and less water wasted just by eating one meal. We are in a terrible water crisis, some are eating plant-based because they feel that it is undeniable that eating less meat saves water.All of this is important, but it is also important to remember what we are raising funds for. We are raising funds for animals. To do that while supporting pain and suffering to another animal is a terrible commitment to the animals and the intentions are wrong. I used to be vegetarian. I actually used to say, nothing is harmed for eggs and milk so it is okay. I get that thought. I wish that were true. I have learned about what actually happens. It is heart-wrenching. It is graphic and horrible. Did you know that male chicks were ground alive? That even "free-range" chickens can barely move. That they suffocate and die. My family had a pet rooster, Roosie, when I was young. Roosie, used to follow my mother around the garden and sit in her lap. He loved her. He was like a "dog." He would snuggle. He loved to be pet behind the ears. He was our pet, just like these dogs will be someone else's pet.I know that many who adopt dogs are not vegan or vegetarian but they will understand that you are raising funds for animals and therefore would provide animal-friendly meals. Food is important to us. We are a catering company that creates delicious, vegan, organic meals. We have been focused on the Bay Area community. We have created a garden for a school in Richmond with a non-profit, we have supported local artists, we raise funds for different non-profits every month. From August - December 2014 we donated, gave gift certificates and had benefits raising upwards of $8500 for the community.We would be willing to set-up a free tasting for you and some of the members of the animal shelter. Let's say for up to 6 people. There are also other vegan catering companies in the area. Set up tastings with them as well. Make sure that you love the food - and I am confident you will. It is a small step that you can take to have a giant impact on the health of the planet and our community, the animals and YOU!Let's schedule that tasting. Wednesdays and Thursdays are best for me. Would that work for you?And Please vote yes on the item on the September 29 City Council Meeting agenda to create an Animal Friendly Menu Policy for the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter at official sponsored events.I would love to meet you and have you at the restaurant for lunch as well to discuss further.From our family to yours.Chef Barry, Jennifer, Jayden and Adeline Photo Credit: salibambam via Compfight cc