Do you wish you could prevent animal suffering, help human health, protect the environment, and spread compassion all at once? We’ve been doing all that and more! Watch us in action on the streets of Los Angeles.

Recently, In Defense of Animals partnered with Prabhat Gautam, Read and Feed International, and Ahersa to provide over 50,000 cruelty-free meals to the Los Angeles community. 

Watch us loading up this truck full of goodies from JUST, makers of JUST Egg and JUST Mayo. Vegan products that were overproduced by the company that would otherwise have gone to waste were instead distributed to very grateful people who were struggling to make ends meet. Each recipient was able to take one of the 420 boxes we started with, each containing 120 folded plant-based eggs, to cook at home over the course of many meals.

Our impact to save animals’ lives through our Los Angeles vegan meal giveaway is huge!

Our Impact: Los Angeles 50,400 Vegan Meal Giveaway

• 336,000 lbs of CO2 not released into the atmosphere
• 41,800 gallons of water conserved
• 1,520 lbs of grain saved
• 1,140 sq. ft of forest protected
• 420 families fed
• 208 hens not killed!

In Defense of Animals’ mission has always been to save animal lives. Did you know we are equally committed to making a tangible difference to preserve the planet and inspire compassionate ideals in our communities?

Animal welfare and human well-being are interconnected. By collaborating with like-minded organizations, In Defense of Animals is empowering communities and addressing the root causes of suffering.

Food insecurity is a pressing issue in many communities, including Los Angeles. 34 million people in the United States are food insecure, including 9 million children.

Food insecurity has many causes, but a very important one is that meat and dairy production are hugely inefficient methods of feeding people. Vast swathes of rainforest are cut down every day to grow cattle feed or to graze cattle directly.

By contrast, plant-based food requires significantly less water and land to produce while emitting way less harmful carbon dioxide. If we all went vegan, we could end world hunger… and greatly slow down the climate crisis.

Raising and processing animals into meat is hugely wasteful and has so many harmful environmental impacts. Animal agriculture wastes immense amounts of water, and the poop seeps into waterways causing algal blooms that choke off aquatic life. Animal products deal a death sentence for farmed animals and wild animals!

We are delighted to partner with Prabhat Gautam, an inspiring philanthropist known for his dedication to animal welfare. Gautam provided the necessary resources and support to make this initiative a success. Together with Read and Feed International and Ahersa, organizations focused on eradicating hunger, we nourished the bodies and also the spirits of the Los Angeles community.

The impact of our vegan food giveaway reverberated far beyond the promise of full stomachs; it instilled hope, brought smiles, and fostered a sense of solidarity. These meals nourish individuals and extend compassion to animals, helping people to recognize the innate connection between humans and other animals as sentient beings worthy of respect and concern.

Our vegan food giveaway is not merely an act of charity; it shows our profound commitment to creating a kinder and more sustainable world. 

Choosing plant-based meals saves animal lives — on average, you can save one animal from being brought into a horrible existence, suffering every hour of every day they live, then being killed prematurely per day! It can save you too as plant-based food is healthier for you. The Standard American Diet is the leading cause of death in the US. People who eat vegan food instead of animal products live longer, healthier lives.

This remarkable effort was spearheaded by Jane Elizabeth, our Senior Director of People and Operations, and Lisa Levinson, our Campaigns Director. Their leadership and dedication have been instrumental in bridging the gap between animal advocacy and community welfare. By embracing this partnership, we are proving that social change and compassion for animals can go hand in hand.

The collaboration between In Defense of Animals, Prabhat Gautam, Read and Feed International, and Ahersa serves as an inspiring example for others. It demonstrates the power of teamwork and the immense impact that can be achieved by organizations coming together for a common cause. Such initiatives encourage individuals and communities to step up and contribute to positive change locally.

By providing over 50,000 meals to the Los Angeles community, this unique partnership showcases In Defense of Animals’ commitment to addressing both animal welfare and human well-being. This remarkable effort demonstrates the power of collaboration and inspires us all to make a difference, one meal at a time.

What You Can Do

You can make a big impact on behalf of animals and help create a kinder world, one meal at a time! Please give just $10 to save one hen and feed two families in the LA community!

Your Impact: Each $10 Donation Saves = 

• 180 lbs of CO2 not released into the atmosphere
• 9,900 gallons of water conserved
• 360 lbs of grain saved
• 270 sq. ft of forest protected
• 2 families fed
• 1 hen saved!

Animals raised for food are among the least-protected animals across the globe. They are denied the same legal protection from cruelty as dogs or cats are in many countries, despite sharing the same capacity to suffer.

Help us save animals by nourishing compassion: Donate $10