We attend the Wicker Park Farmers Market in Chicago every Sunday beginning in May through the end of October. Each week we host a Plant-Based Food Drive, but also started implementing our Compassionate Children of Chicago program. Each week we host a Story Time at 9am where children and families join us for compassionate, educational stories about veganism, animal rescue, diversity, and the environment. Each week we feature two different book, with a special stuffed animal co-host! After reading our books, we complete an art activity tied to the story to provide the children a hands-on learning experience. Mostly importantly, we engage in conversations about the book so we can explore and grow together. Children are each be provided with a vegan snack to expose them and their families to healthy, cruelty free options! We also provide families with literature about great book selections for their home and ideas for vegan snacks and lunches for back-to-school.

The goal of our program is to educate children and families about veganism and a cruelty free lifestyle. The farmers market is typically families who are not vegetarian or vegan, so we meet them where they are at. Our goal is to help families see the benefit of treating animals kindly and how we can support that best in our daily lifestyle. We believe children learn best through hands-on experiences, so we provide a story, corresponding art project, and vegan snack each session. We want families to leave excited and willing to incorporate cruelty free habits into their daily living.