Meatless Potluck

Starting this week, the Gentle Barn Foundation in Tarzana will hold a series of Saturday afternoon potlucks for families interested in protecting animals and following a vegetarian or vegan diet.

The purpose of the event, said organizer Ellie Callahan, is to teach children kindness to animals, to each other and to the planet. To that end, she advocates a vegan cuisine consisting of food that contains no meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, whey, gelatin or honey.

From the day she established her nonprofit organization two summers ago, she has conducted a Saturday open house for hundreds of visitors who wanted to get to know some of the animals she and her staff of volunteers have rescued from livestock pens and petting zoos.

Roaming the property at Tampa Avenue and Oxnard Boulevard are sheep, goats, ponies, pigs, geese, ducks, turkeys, chickens and a cow.

Last fall, Callahan hosted a vegan Thanksgiving potluck to celebrate the rescue of a turkey. It was so popular, she decided to start twice-a-month vegan potlucks.

“These are targeted at families,” she said. “There will be story time for the kids, as well as getting to know the animals, but all are welcome.”

Admission is free but participants are required to bring a vegan or vegetarian dish to share.

After studying psychology and special education at Cal State Northridge, Callahan started looking for a house in the San Fernando Valley specifically for the purpose of establishing the foundation.

“I had the idea to educate city folk about animals and vegan eating [and] bought a home with sufficient land as close to the city as possible rather than far out of town,” she said.

BE THERE

Gentle Barn Vegan Potluck, Saturday, 1-3 p.m., 6050 Corbin Ave, Tarzana. Free admission with a vegan dish to share. Call (818) 705-5477 or see https://www.gentlebarn.org.