Local restaurant Southern Sqweeze, which offers vegan-friendly dishes, is among the restaurants featured on ChattaVegan’s website. (Contributed photo)ChattaVegan, a local nonprofit promoting veganism, is partnering with the city’s Department of Youth and Family Development to offer vegan potlucks at YFD centers in areas known as “food deserts” where fresh, healthy produce is difficult to find.
The first event is being held at Carver Youth and Family Development Center in the Orchard Knob area Saturday, Jan. 27 from 3-5 p.m.
Started as a food blog in July 2016, ChattaVegan expanded its mission as its influence and the local vegan community grew, establishing itself as a nonprofit organization in 2017, said founder Corey Evatt. The group’s goal is to promote the reduction and elimination of animal products in an effort to make Chattanooga healthier, more compassionate and more environmentally friendly, he explained.
“We hope to bring both veg veterans and folks that have never heard the word ‘vegan’ together in one space to connect over amazing food,” Evatt said.
Evatt decided to go vegan because of his compassion for animals, first spending several years as a vegetarian after a personal revelation while volunteering at the Humane Educational Society. While his volunteer work was reflective of his passion for animals, he realized, his meaty diet was not.