Native Foods Cafe—the fast-casual, plant-based restaurant group that for 20 years has been heavily involved with numerous nonprofit groups and local communities—announced its newest giveback program, Native Pals. The company's new pals include Mercy For Animals, The Surfrider Foundation, and Farm Sanctuary.
The expanding restaurant group, serving plant-based, chef-crafted fare, looks forward to increasing the breadth of its nonprofit involvement through these partnerships. "We are so excited to align with these three groups," says Native Foods co-owner, Andrea McGinty. "We've always admired the work that these groups do, and by working together, we hope to accomplish so much more in the plant-based movement."
Among its new partners is Mercy For Animals (MFA), a leading organization dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies through education initiatives, cruelty investigations, legal advocacy, and corporate outreach. In May of 2014, Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE) named MFA one of its top two recommended charities, ranking it above 98 other animal charities ACE considered.
The well-known Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization, works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote vegan living. Native Foods will kick off its Farm Sanctuary partnership by adopting its own clan of farm animals from the organization, which provides lifelong care for nearly 1,000 rescued farm animals at their three shelters in New York and California.
Lastly, The Surfrider Foundation, is a nonprofit, grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches through an activist network. Native Foods Café and Surfrider will kick off their partnership with initiatives including Ban the Bag, which will encourage the use of co-branded reusable tote bags in place of single-use plastic bags.
These three partnerships will come to life through monthly group representation in the restaurants, educational speaker and film events, co-branding efforts, volunteer opportunities, animal adoptions, beach cleanups, as well as an exclusive chef-tasting benefit with each of the groups where 100 percent of ticket proceeds will benefit the non-profit groups.
