As the host and first sponsor, the St. Louis Animal Rights Team considers the annual St. Louis VegFest event to be one of the most successful and visible events for sharing our mission and love for animals to the region.
The organizers of St. Louis VegFest are START members, and are pleased to be working with compassionate and like-minded local organizations and businesses to promote plant-based living and alternatives to animal products.
​
START is a not-for-profit educational/activist group, formed in 1985, and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 1988. Our goals are to:
â–º Educate society about the rights of all species to live freely and die naturally
â–º Expose the harm and suffering caused by the denial of animals’ natural rights
â–º Promote the adoption of lifestyles compatible with the animal rights philosophy
â–º Promote the reform of social institutions to be compatible with animal rights
​
Thank you for joining START organizers and members in bringing St. Louis VegFest back for our 5th year!
Torre Washington is a NASM certified coach, speaker and IFBB Pro competitor. Raised vegetarian and vegan since 1998, Torre built his physique entirely on a Plant based regimen without the aid of supplements since 2009 to 2018. Torre’s training style focuses on physical symmetry and aesthetics. “He disassembles your physique and reassembles it back the way you want it to be” and has therefore become one of the most sought after coaches of celebrities and high end clientele and bodybuilders globally. Torre also advocates for “lifestyle changes” to his global fan base and brings to light the plight of animals and the need to heal mother earth through living a more Plant-Based vegan lifestyle.
A Well-Fed World is an international hunger relief and food security organization advancing plant-based foods and farming to create a sustainable, nourished, and climate-friendly future. Their mission is to strengthen plant-based feeding and farming solutions for impoverished populations and the world at large, while championing a shift away from the consumption and production of animal-sourced foods as part of any viable strategy to improve global food security and mitigate the climate crisis.
Loyal, annual, sponsors of St. Louis VegFest, Carol House is a household name that has been serving the greater St. Louis area with the highest quality furnishings since 1964. In addition to furniture, The Dubman family are well known supporters of so many amazing animal welfare organizations.
Their spaces at Vegfest will include their Carol House Quick Fix Pet Clinic and Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation(MAAL).
The mission of CH Quick Fix is to provide low-cost and even income-based spay and neuter, as well as other services to area pets. They share resources and information with pet owners and non-pet owners about the benefits of spaying and neutering companion animals. By reducing the number of unwanted dogs and cats that are born, it will also reduce the number that enter local shelters, only to be euthanized.
MAAL is Missouri's voice for animal protection in the legislature. They are the only organization in the state of Missouri working full time to lobby in the state capitol on behalf of the animals. MAAL is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization promoting the humane treatment of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife through legislation, advocacy, and education. They work to enact and enforce bills that protect animals, and fight to defeat bills that harm them. Some bills have included regulations on puppy mills, cock fighting, dog fighting, farm animal welfare, wildlife, and more!
​
Visit these incredible organizations while at VegFest and find out about the wonderful services they offer.
Thank you Carol House for your continuous commitment to animal welfare and St. Louis VegFest!
VegFund is all about you. We exist to support you, a member of a global community of vegan advocates in your efforts to inform the public about the benefits of vegan living. VegFund provides grant funding for food sampling, film screenings, vegfests and health fairs, conferences, and learning events. We can even help you bring your own ideas for innovative advocacy to life.
​
Hand-in-hand with financial support is our commitment to help you maximize the effectiveness of your outreach. VegFund develops trainings for activists, curates the very best research available on plant-based living and effective advocacy, and facilitates information sharing among activists in the vegan community.
Our organization has supported vegan activists in 76 countries throughout the world. Dedicated volunteer vegan activists like you bring us closer to a compassionate, vegan world.
​
Our small staff and low overhead lets us direct the majority of our resources to YOU, because it’s your hard work that brings us closer to a vegan world.
Karviva Whole Plant Wellness Drinks: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Healing
Experience the essence of ancient Asian wellness with Karviva. Our drinks encapsulate the time-honored power of whole plant ingredients, carefully curated for their synergistic benefits.
Guided by the nurturing philosophy of traditional Asian medicine, we've harnessed nature's gifts to provide holistic care for your body. Our fusion of enduring wisdom and contemporary science culminates in beverages that honor your well-being authentically.
Rooted in heritage, we're dedicated to sharing timeless wellness insights through our revitalizing drinks. Bound by love and tradition, our healing legacy becomes yours as we transcend boundaries.
We know our customers have many options to choose from when they do their grocery shopping. We know we can’t always be a one-stop shop. As a small, independent grocery store, we appreciate our customers for choosing Local Harvest!
​
Customer Service. Our friendly staff care about their jobs and want to provide exemplary customer experience. It’s easy to find a staff member in our small space if you have a question or need help locating something. Further, we do our best to educate our employees on all our products, farmers, and vendors so they can feel confident in answering questions or making recommendations.
​
Supporting Local Farmers and Artisans. Our goal in providing local foods is in supporting local growers and purveyors. At least half of all products at Local Harvest are sourced within 150 miles of St. Louis. We allow our farmers and vendors to set their own prices to ensure they’re paid fairly for their labor. That means family farmers running sustainable farms in our region are paid for all their hard work, not middlemen, distributors, or large conglomerates.
​
Serving our Community’s Needs and Wants. We’re constantly growing and expanding our product offerings to better serve our community. If we don’t have a product you’re searching for, we’ll look into getting it. If you’ve seen something you think we should carry, let us know- we’re always looking for product suggestions. Really like a product we have? Ask us about special ordering a case for you, and save 10%.
​
Minimizing Waste, Donating Excess. We try to limit food waste when and where we can. We sell ugly, blemished, or otherwise imperfect produce at discount as “inglorious,” following France’s Intermarche’s example. We donate excess inventory to area food banks. Products that cannot be sold or donated are ultimately composted when possible, not trashed.
​
Keeping it Local. Some figures claim that shopping at local businesses and buying local keeps 80% more money in the community. When you shop at Local Harvest, you’re supporting the Tower Grove community, the St. Louis region, and all our local farmers and vendors.