Bringing together the Vegan Community.
Who We Are
A Vegan Organization
Our Purpose
The Pittsburgh Vegan Society, PVS (formerly named the Pittsburgh Vegan Association), is a 501c3 non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness of veganism through creative education, nonviolent advocacy, and social connection in the Greater Pittsburgh Area and beyond.
The philosophical framework of the organization is grounded in both animal rights and environmental sustainability. PVS also serves to provide community and a place to foster connection for like-minded individuals.
The Pittsburgh Vegan Society meets on a regular basis to learn about and discuss the importance of veganism and take part in friendly, educational activism throughout the region. This organization asserts that any serious animal rights activism utilizes veganism as an ethical baseline and it is through that lens that PVS takes its educational and activist approach. Those who are not vegan, however, are welcomed, respected, and valued in all of the organization's meetings.
PVS also supports all effective community efforts to establish social justice, reassert human rights, and to engage in charitable giving in the Greater Pittsburgh Area and beyond.
The Pittsburgh Vegan Society maintains that animals, the environment, and the local community are all of moral significance. As such, all are welcome to attend and participate in the organizations efforts to share how veganism can help the local and broader world.
PVS now accepts tax deductible donations through our donate button above and through Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com type in and select "Pittsburgh Vegan Organization".
ANTI-OPPRESSION STATEMENT
PVS stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We pledge to be actively anti-racist and to combat all forms of oppression against those most marginalized in our society. We recognize that untilall are free, none are free. We acknowledge the inherent overlap of animal liberation, Black liberation, and queer liberation, and pledge to continue to speak out against injustice in our communities. We know that a vegan movement cannot be truly meaningful without dismantling racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, genderism, heterosexism, xenophobia, and any form of prejudice, both within and without. We commit to using our privileged power within society to uplift the voices of those silenced, and to build an equitable structure where all have the same opportunities for safety and well-being.
We commit to the anti-oppression principles outlined on the Vegan Justice League website as well as the Vegan Bill of Consistent Anti-Oppression.
We promise to deeply listen and learn and to constantly be open to areas of improvement in our anti-oppression work.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Everywhere we go, stores and shops hand us single-use plastic items for everything from bags to spoons. It’s completely normal to use these items for 20 minutes or less before we throw them away. Then these items end up in our landfills and waterways, where they endanger animals and contaminate our environment with microplastics as they degrade over hundreds of years.
It’s time to opt out of unnecessary single-use plastics. Take the No Plastic Please pledge and change your own plastic legacy.
Activities
Making A Difference
Collaboration
Reinforcing our Commitment
With this initiative, our goal is to promote great opportunities for those in need and foster collaboration among vegan-oriented organizations in the Pittsburgh region. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities to become or stay vegan and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential.
Learning & Social
One Step at a Time
With our organization’s mission always in mind, we strive to find new strategies for continuous learning and for regular social events to educate, engage, and bring together our community.
Volunteering
Helping The Community
At Pittsburgh Vegan Society, we are dedicated to stepping up our efforts to make volunteering for vegan related causes easier. Our work is by no means an easy feat, but through cooperation and community empowerment we believe we can facilitate progress in this area. We are always striving to make a difference, and invite you to learn more and lend your support.
Jan 29: Vegan Wellness Conference
Jan 12: Volunteer Open House
Feb 9: Social Connection Time
April 23: Rabbi Akiva Gersh Speaking Tour
Collab with Jewish Veg +
June 5: Maximum Impact for the Animals: Strategies for Activists. With speakers John Oberg and Thomas Goodman.
El Burro, Regent Square
Aug 4: Outreach tabling at Pittsburgh Veg Fest by Justice for Animals
Aug 24: Dinner Social- Double Wide Grill
Oct 1: Fall Potluck- Highland Park
Meeting/Event Topics
2023
Meeting/Event Topics
2024
Meeting/Event Topics
2025
January: Social Connection Time
February: Social Connection Time
March: Social Connection Time
March: Reflections on Women's Leadership in the AR/Vegan Movement- collaboration with Black Veg Society, Christian Animal Rights Association, HAP, Jewish Veg, PAN, Vegan Mainstream
April: Vegan Voices: Discussion and reading with Dr. Joanne Kong
May: Pittsburgh Vegan Society Plant-based Potluck Park Picnic!
June: Outreach tabling at PA Climate Convergence
August: Outreach tabling at Pittsburgh Veg Fest by Justice for Animals
September: Social Connection Time
October: Social Connection Time
November: Social Connection Time
December: Social Connection Time -
Vegan Dining Meetup
January 14: Veganism in the Media
Panel Discussion with leaders in vegan media
January 21: Veganism within Latinx Communities, a collaboration with Peace Advocacy Network
Panel Discussion with Vegan Latinx Community Leadership
January 27: Changing the Paradigm by Changing the Pantry: Plant-Based Pantry Essentials, a collaboration with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
February 6: PVS Vegan (& vegan curious) Social -virtual
February 9: Chocolate Dipping Made Easy! Chocolate + Strawberries! Baking Program with Chef Andrea - PVS & Sweet Vegan
February 20: The Last Pig Screening and Discussion
Veganism and BIPOC Communities: A Focus on Inclusive Wellness and Social Justice
Panel Discussion with vegan BIPOC activists
March 3: Pittsburgh Vegan Society Social Connection Time
March 9: Consuming Compassionately: a Pittsburgh Vegan Society and Phipps Conservatory Collaboration
What we wear, eat and use in our everyday lives has an impact on both humans and animals. Learn about the importance of veganism for the rights and treatment of animals.
March 21: Book Discussion - Veganism of Color: Decentering Whiteness in Human and Nonhuman Liberation
April 7: Pittsburgh Vegan Society Social Connection Time
April 22: Every Day is Earth Day … and for Everyone!: A Pittsburgh Vegan Society and Phipps Conservatory Collaboration Our lifestyles have ecological consequences. Discover how going (and staying) vegan can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint.
April 24: Piggy Spring Fling, a Fundraiser for Pigsburgh Squealers
May 2: Veganism within Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Island Communities
A Panel Discussion with AAPI vegans
May 6: Compassionate Communication and Veganism A discussion about the principles and practice of compassionate communication as applied to peaceful vegan activism.
May 20: PVS Social Connection Time Meeting
May 21: Take Out, Veg Out In collaboration with Vegan Pittsburgh, this event is to promote awareness and encourage patronization and support of our local, vegan restaurants.
The restaurant industry has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic and we would like to see our local vegan restaurants thrive while enabling people to maintain safety.
June 17: PVS and Peace Advocacy Network: Virtual Vegan Pledge: Summer (June/July)
October: Social Connection Time
November: Social Connection Time
Meeting/Event Topics
2022
Meeting/Event Topics
2021
Meeting/Event Topics
2021
November 7: Vegan Share & Tell
Happy World Vegan Day! One way in striving for a kinder and gentler world is to vegan, and what better day to start than today? While going vegan is surprisingly easy, we are here to help anyone who wishes to transition to leaving animals off their plate.
This Wednesday (Nov. 7th) we will be having a "vegan share and tell." That is, we want you to share something related to veganism that is particularly important or special to you. It could be a particular website, a film, a book, a song, a dish, poem, speech, figure, organization, etc. Come prepared to persuade and enlighten us all!
We'll also announce the book for a book discussion we plan to host in January!
Nov. 28: Vegan Video Short Night & Discussion
We will be watching a few vegan video shorts, as well as a snippet of a documentary or two. A discussion will follow.
Content warning: while we won't be showing an entirely graphic long film this evening, some of these short films will contain *some* graphic footage.
Dec. 19th New Year's Resolutions Get Together
Jan. 9 Veganuary! (https://veganuary.com)
Jan. 23 Vegan Book Club Discussion - Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows
Feb 6th – Black Vegetarian Society of Maryland
Feb 20th – “I’ve decided to go vegan, now what?” Resources for “how” to be vegan
Mar 6th – A lecture video from an animal rights speaker Gary Yourofsky "Best Speech You'll Ever Hear "
Mar 20th – Equinox potluck
Apr 3rd – Vegan Spirituality panel
April 17th – Plant based nutrition presentation
April 28th - Spring Sustainability Event
May 8th – Activist stories, tips, resources, etc.
May 22nd – Book Discussion on “Eat Like You Care” by Gary Francione and Anna Charlton
June 12th - Vegan Spirituality Potluck- Southwest PA, with PVA & Body in Balance
June 26th - Vegans at Kennywood! :D
July 10th - Vegan Potluck at Bud Hammer Park!
July 24th - Animal Sanctuary Speakers
August 7th - Vegan BBQ field trip
August 10th - Tabling at Pittsburgh Vegfest!
August 21st - Fish Feel speaker
September 4th - Best Decision Ever Documentary
September 18th - Vegan Dining at Thai Cuisine
September 28th - Next Level Outreach Workshop w/ Joshua Entis: Pittsburgh
October 9th - Call to Rescue Film
October 20th - Path to Hope: Fundraiser for Hope Haven
October 23 - Vegan Dining Coriander Indian Grill
November 6 - Environmental Aspects of Veganism
November 20 - Field Trip with the Pittsburgh Vegan Dining Meetup Condado Tacos
December 4 - PVS Wintertime Potluck
December 18 - Field Trip with the Pittsburgh Vegan Dining Meetup Doublewide Grill
January 26: Game Changers Screening and discussion
February 9: Herb N' Art Collaboration with Queerling Collective, Rodef Shalom, and Jewish Veg :D
March 29th: Self-Care & Companion Animal Show and Tell
-March 20 - one year since the first official Pittsburgh MeatOut Day!
April: Communication, Activism, and Mindfulness, Dystopia Revisited with Clare Mann
May: Intentional and Low Waste Living Workshop, Two Documentary Shorts
June: LGBTQIA+ and Veganism, Anti-Racism from a Vegan Perspective
July: Documentary: Vegan Everyday Stories
August: Food Demo and Ingredient Swap, Food Resiliency: Plant-based gardening, growth, and grit
September: Self-Care Share and Tell and VegFest Tabling
October: Path to Hope, Tom Regan book discussion
November: Veganism with Indigenous Communities,
December: Chocolate candy cooking demo
Meeting/Event Topics
2018
Meeting/Event Topics
2019
Meeting/Event Topics
2020
“One is not always happy when one is good; but one is always good when one is happy”
Oscar Wilde
MeatoutDay
Based on a collaborative community effort initiated by the Pittsburgh Vegan Society, formerly called the Pittsburgh Vegan Association, On VegWeek in March 2019 the City of Pittsburgh Office of the Mayor signed a proclamation to make March 20th Meatout Day! To learn more read our Letter to the Editor published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette!