Jackson’s Water Crisis Highlights the Need For Investment in Climate Resilient Infrastructure

Following a 32-day boil water notice, devastating flooding left Jackson, Mississippi’s residents without clean water. Mississippi is set to receive $425 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but many worry that the GOP state government won’t allocate needed funding to Jackson.

In the last days of August, Jackson, Mississippi experienced devastating flooding, rising to which left of the city’s residents without access to clean, running water. This summer, one of Mississippi's , had alr

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on June 22, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

A small, overgrown green island floating in an ocean of black asphalt. That was the humble beginnings of my Charity Garden. And inside the grass-lot, was me, soiled and sweaty absolutely not understanding what I had gotten myself into.

When I first embarked on my journey of founding a charity garden at my high school, in all honesty, I had no idea what I was doing. My limited gardening knowledge consisted of quite a few deceased succulents that sa

What’s in a Name? The Memorialization of White Supremacy Through The Naming of Our Spaces.

Memorials and statues are common across America, but in the South it is often the villains of history that are honored. Confederate monuments need to be removed, and removing their influence on our society and historical memory is even more important.

I have lived the past eighteen years of my life constantly having to correct myself when writing the word “forest.” Having grown up in Forrest County, Mississippi as a child, I was first introduced to the word in this spelling, always capitalized

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on October 17, 2022 by The VRG Blog Editor

From the veggie dog eating contest to petting Toby a pygmy goat at the Peaceful Fields Sanctuary booth, Richmond’s 2022 VegFest hosted an array of fun vegan activities.

I arrived at Byrd Park in the late morning of September 17th, 2022, just in time to watch as the other vendors began pitching their tents, organizing their products across tabletops for display, and the various sanctuaries setting up comfortable areas for their animals to rest t

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on September 23, 2022 by The VRG Blog Editor

When most people think of southern food, veganism would most likely not describe the images of dishes conjured. Even my own view of southern classics, as a vegan Deep South native, was not very inclusive of plant-based diets until I learned to cook vegan southern recipes myself. However, I had never found a fix to my cravings for southern classics until I visited New Orleans’ Breads On Oak.

Breads On Oak is a vegan restaurant and French Patis

Recording: First CORE Group 25th Anniversary Fireside Chat! | CORE Group: Working Together in Health for Mothers, Children and Communities

CORE Group’s first was held on 22 February 2022. This first chat of a quarterly series throughout 2022 brought together CORE Group legends and new voices to share, learn, reflect, and celebrate our amazing anniversary milestone.

On February 22nd, CORE Group celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Fireside Chat webinar hosted by Executive Director Lisa Hilmi and Board Member Janine Schooley, who were joined by multiple CORE Group members, old and new.

Ellen Vor der Bruegge, one of CORE Group’s f

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on July 05, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

“Eating vegan is too expensive.” This mainstream misconception can be an instant turn-off for those considering a diet switch, an easy excuse, as well as a major concern for low-income individuals interested in eating vegan. However, as a low-income vegetarian teen, I can assure you, that it does not take penny-pinching to make vegan and vegetarian diets affordable.

Whether you want a breakfast that’s easy to eat on the go or are looking for an in

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on July 16, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

One effect of my internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group that I did not expect, but have come to enjoy immensely, is the constant vegan food suggestions I have received from the other interns I work with and The VRG staff. From testing out new recipes to chatting with my fellow interns about our favorite vegan snacks, I have found myself calling more and more foods my favorite. Armed with my new repertoire of beloved vegan dishes, I decided t

The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Posted on May 26, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

It is no secret that finding vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants in the rural American South can be quite the feat. Having been a vegetarian for the past four years and a Hattiesburg, Mississippi resident my entire life, I have made it my mission to seek out plant-based dining in my area. While often my search has led me to make the trek to the advertised vegan restaurants of New Orleans and other larger cities or into whole-food groceries, I