Don't miss the 24th annual Spring VegFest at Eastern Market in Detroit! Enjoy all your favorite vegan foods, great new vendors, cooking demos, speakers, eco-friendly shopping, local nonprofits, free massages, and fun for the kids. Please support our wonderful sponsors below who help make VegFest a free admission event.

The National School Lunch Program currently has a "milk mandate," requiring all students receive a carton of cow's milk, regardless of their dietary needs or preferences. Many who are of African American, Asian, Latino, Jewish, and Native American descent are lactose intolerant. This leads to waste, as students who are lactose intolerant or have other dietary restrictions may not be able to consume the milk. According to the National Institute of Health, 44.7% of the milk offered and 25.8% of the milk served to students was wasted, equating to an average of 7.5 carton-equivalents per classroom every day. An estimated $300 million in taxpayer money is wasted annually due to discarded, unopened milk cartons. Students who do not consume dairy deserve a viable option that provides them with essential nutrients. The FISCAL Act (Freedom in the School Cafeteria and Lunches Act) is a federal bill that proposes to end the current milk mandate and allow for plant-based milk options. Michigan Representative Tim Walberg, the chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, could help move the bill forward. Please call (202) 225-6276 to let him know you support the FISCAL Act. If you are in the 5th district, you can also send an email. Thank You!

We offer a variety of presentations promoting the benefits of plant-based eating at libraries, community centers, faith-based organizations, student groups, college classrooms, and other locations. Our presentations have been well received with 94% of non-vegan survey respondents saying they are interested in eating more plant-based after attending. We often pair our presentations with a plant-based food sampling so attendees can taste how delicious plant-based food is; it’s a great combination. Following a recent guest lecture for Madonna University’s Do Animals Matter? Course, taught by Dr. Andrew Domzalski, he provided this feedback: “Many thanks for a fantastic presentation on farmed animals that you delivered today to our students...They truly enjoyed your engaging, interactive, and highly informative talk. Every semester you enrich our students’ educational experience by sharing your in-depth expertise in humane education. I am grateful that you expose them to plant-based foods [through] the generous FREE 30-Day Plant-Based Pledge program." To learn more and request a program, click here.

It is with great sadness that we inform our VegMichigan community of the passing of long-time VegMichigan supporter and volunteer Rob Butler. Rob was a compassionate animal advocate and vegan for 26 years. He worked for the Dearborn Heights Library for decades, and throughout that time, he organized numerous programs to promote veganism, including film screenings, plant-based cooking demonstrations, and plant-based presentations. He also created and performed engaging puppet shows for children that included themes of kindness toward animals and the planet. We extend our most heartfelt thanks to Rob for leading an exemplary life of care for all living beings. If you knew Rob and want to attend an informal remembrance dinner on Friday, April 11, at 7pm at one of Rob’s favorite restaurants, Szechuan Empire, 29215 Five Mile Rd. in Livonia, please contact Kim@VegMichigan.org by Monday, April 7.

Volunteer opportunities for Spring VegFest are open! To sign up, log into Volgistics and go to June 1, 2025, on the Schedule Tab. There you can view all the available opportunities and sign up for your preferred role. Not a volunteer yet? Sign up here. This year we are looking for a volunteer lead for the Kids Zone! If you are interested, please email Katie Johnson at Katie@VegMichigan.org for more information. Thanks to the many amazing volunteers who have signed up to help already! You are fantastic and we appreciate you!

Congratulations to the winners of last month's raffle! The answer was: Be Kind to Chicks and Bunnies. Tina De La Fe won a gift card to Strange Matter, Stephanie F. won a gift card to Unburger, and Stephanie Grittini won the backpacker's special from Nutcase Vegan. For this month's raffle, you'll have a chance to win one of the following prizes.

$25 E-Gift Card to Friendly Foodees (Alpena)

$25 E-Gift Card to Parlor Doughnuts (various)

$25 E-Gift Card to Street Beet (Detroit)

To enter the raffle, solve the word scramble below and submit your answer using this form. Winners will be announced in the May newsletter and contacted via email early next month. Good luck!

If you celebrate Easter, you know that eggs have always played a big part in the day. However, celebrating an egg-free Easter can be just as joyful and festive! Get tips on how to create a memorable holiday without the eggs.

Watch VegMichigan Discuss the Benefits of Plant-Based Eating on CTN Ann Arbor (begins at 4:10)

GO BEYOND the Buzzer: A Plant-Based Cookbook inspired by NBA players

38 Indulgent Vegan Snacks You Can Find At Any Supermarket

Popular Vegan, Vegetarian Pop-Up Street Beet Plans Move to Bobcat Bonnie's Corktown Space

Nuisance Canada Geese Get Killed, Not Moved, Under New DNR Guidelines

9 Best Vegan Easter Chocolates and Sweets

TED Explores: Food for the Future

Swapping Butter with Plant-Based Oils in Daily Diet Could Lead to Significant Health Benefits

Impossible Foods Just Launched Plant-Based ‘Steak Bites’

10 Vegan Spring Recipes