Plant Based Support and PBNM: One Mission, Two Nonprofits

We all know unimaginable things happen behind the scenes. This is true for individuals, families, and nonprofits. We have been holding our tongues about something for a while now, and honestly? It’s time to tell it.

The backstory. A Tale of Two Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Plant Based Nutrition Movement and Plant Based Support came from the same heart space, about 7 years apart. Same mission. Same vision. Same values. Sister CBOs, with one simple but challenging goal…make the world healthier for humans, animals, and ecosystems. Protect our most fragile: our children and elders. That’s it.

The Easy Part. How do we do it? One CBO is “the activist arm.” We are not the ones marching in the streets or picketing outside fast-food restaurants! Our activism looks like spending time in a classroom, a community center, a university lecture hall…and teaching. Sharing. Helping people connect the dots between what’s on their plate and how they feel, how their community thrives, and what kind of future comes from conscious food choices. Our other organization is our “education and support arm.”  That CBO has been powerfully raising awareness since its inception. It began 15 years ago by gently opening access to Food As Medicine for chronic illness. Our work here includes potlucks, ongoing support groups, and online and in-person events. With more than 20 volunteers, we can proudly say we have platformed hundreds of professional Lifestyle Medicine speakers, including every well-known name in the WFPB space. This work changes lives. We’ve seen it happen over and over. We’ve even got T-shirts!

The Hard Part. As passionate as we are about this work, I won’t pretend the road has been a bed of roasted butternut squash (warm, smooth, and goes down easy LOL). It hasn’t been. Not long ago, the behind-the scenes picture was pretty ugly. Some of our Board members were disengaged and at cross-purposes. We’ve also had more than our fair share of pirates trying to steal the ship right out from under us. (Real pirates, not the fun kind that show up on Halloween asking for candy.) We even fought off a hostile takeover threat! Recently! It was scary and so insulting! The fact is, we never imagined that there were WFPB/VEGAN BUSINESS PIRATES!!!! But there they were, posing as the Coast Guard but acting like Bluebeard. In hindsight, we can admit it. There were nights we wondered if we’d make it through.

Fast forward to Today. We did make it through. Today, both organizations are working side by
side, like sisters. Both are growing. Both are blossoming, and we don’t use those words lightly.
The pirates are gone. Banished! Walked off the plank! Now the Boards of both organizations are
dedicated to our shared mission and engaged in the best possible ways. Guiding us with the same
values we started with all those years ago.
Together, PBNM and PBS reach tens of thousands of people every month with a value-driven
blueprint for vitality. Our volunteers are active. Our ideas are innovative. Our dedication has grown. We remain committed to our members living healthier, more vibrant lives. That’s. Every. Single. Day.

Now, we’re in a real turnaround, and we want to be clear about why it’s working: we simply refused to give up. And because people like you believed in this mission enough to stand behind it when it counted most.

So, here’s my request, plain and simple:
Turnarounds don’t run on stubborn hope alone. The most important factor is people showing up to support the cause. And you showing up right now, today, is exactly what keeps us headed in the right direction. If this mission has ever meant anything to you, this is the moment to make your voice heard. Not someday. Now!

Please make a gift today.
We didn’t survive the hard stretches to just get by. We survived to thrive! Please donate what you can. If you aren’t already, become a member for less than the price of a fancy coffee. No gift is too small. Thank you for your support.